Am J Clin Nutr

BackgroundEnergy intake is a key determinant of weight.ObjectiveOur objective was to examine trends in energy intake in adults in the United States from 1971\u20131975 to 2009\u20132010.DesignThe study was a trend analysis of 9 national surveys in the United States that included data from 63,761 adults aged 20\u201374 y.ResultsAdjusted mean energy intake increased from 1955 kcal/d during 1971\u20131975 to 2269 kcal/d during 2003\u20132004 and then declined to 2195 kcal/d during 2009\u20132010 (P-linear trend < 0.001, P-nonlinear trend < 0.001). During the period from 1999\u20132000 to 2009\u20132010, no significant linear trend in energy intake was observed (P = 0.058), but a significant nonlinear trend was noted (P = 0.042), indicating a downward trend in energy intake. Significant decreases in energy intake from 1999\u20132000 to 2009\u20132010 were noted for participants aged 20\u201339 y, men, women, and participants with a BMI (in kg/m2) of 18.5 to