Daily cost of consumer food wasted, inedible, and consumed in the United States, 2001-2016.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey data linked with literature-derived waste models and price indices (graded by design analogy)
PubMed 32306976 · doi:10.1186/s12937-020-00552-w
What was done
Researchers modeled the economic cost of consumer food waste using nationally representative cross-sectional dietary intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2001–2016) for 39,758 US adults aged ≥20 years. Dietary intake records were linked to literature-based food waste proportions and publicly available food price and inflation datasets. Survey-weighted analyses estimated daily per capita expenditures on food wasted, inedible portions, and food consumed, categorized by food group and purchase location (at home vs. away from home).
What was found
Total daily per capita food expenditure averaged $13.27, divided into: - Consumed: 59% - Wasted: 27% - Inedible: 14% The largest contributors to daily wasted food expenditure were: - Meat and seafood purchased for away-from-home consumption: $0.94 per day (95% CI: $0.90 to $0.99) - Fruits and vegetables purchased for at-home consumption: $0.68 per day (95% CI: $0.63 to $0.73)
Why it matters
Food waste carries a direct financial cost for consumers alongside its environmental impact. Identifying specific high-cost categories (at-home produce and restaurant meat/seafood) highlights the most impactful targets for consumer-focused waste reduction strategies.
Limits
Food waste was not measured directly for individuals; it was modeled by linking self-reported 24-hour dietary intake recalls (which are prone to recall bias and underreporting) to aggregate literature-based waste estimates and secondary food price datasets.
Cited by
- contradicts Calculations based on objective food production, availability, and waste show that Americans consume on average over 3,500 calories per day per capita.