Every 5 years, the departments of Health & Human Services and USDA publish Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

A study recently published in The Journal of Nutrition looks at what percentage of the population actually meets these guidelines.

Researchers examined 24 hour food reports submitted by 16,338 people who participated in the 2001–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They found that other than meat, beans and total grains, most people aren’t meeting recommendations for nutrient-rich food groups. In addition, 90% of Americans over-consume solid fats, added sugars and other empty calories.