Study: On Average, Americans Are Eating 23 Pounds Of Cheese Per Year
By Chelsea Karnash
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – From nachos to pizza, Americans are consuming more cheese than ever.
According to information from the Center for Science in the Public Interest's "The Changing American Diet: A Report Card," that C- the USA earned in the Dairy category must stand for cheese. Our consumption is way up – rising from an average of eight pounds per year in 1970 to a whopping 23 pounds today.
"The cheese craze shows no sign of slowing down," says report card writer Bonnie Liebman, who compiled the information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
And it's not just our cheese consumption that's up – it's our daily caloric intake. Back in 1970, we ate an average of 2,075 calories per day. In 2013, we're eating 2,535 – up 450 calories.
"Bottom line? It's time to eat less –less red meat, less cheese, less starches and less sweets," Liebman says. "If Americans want straight As, they've got a little work to do."
But if the colossal amount of cheese we're feasting on annually is any indication, it seems we have a lot of work to do.
