Analysis of dietary amino acid and fatty acid intake profiles of US adults: NHANES 2017–March 2020 Pre-pandemic

Recently, the digitalization of data science in nutrition has highlighted the need for comprehensive dietary databases to interpret dietary habits accurately. Previous studies have elucidated detailed profiles of amino acids (AAs) and fatty acids (FAs) in the Japanese diet beyond the general categories of proteins and lipids. This study aimed to profile the intake of AAs and FAs in the United States (U.S.) population, focusing on the quantity of these nutrients. By linking the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020 data, we estimated the average dietary intake of 18 AAs and 19 FAs in the U.S. population, expressed in mg/1000 kcal and calculated their respective contributions. Among the 18 AAs, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and leucine were the most consumed, accounting for 19.8%, 9.1%, and 8.1% of the total intake, respectively. Among the 19 FAs, 18:1 constituted the most significant proportion at 36.5%, followed by 18:2 at 23.3% and 16:0 at 20.1%. Although the intake contribution profiles of AA were similar across different food groups, those of FA varied significantly. Overall, we successfully developed a database showing the average intake of AA and FA in the U.S. population rather than focusing solely on proteins and lipids. This database provides a foundation for accurately understanding and interpreting dietary habits in the U.S. population and suggests its potential use as a reference for future international dietary comparisons. • The amino acid and fatty acid intake of U.S. adults was profiled. • Nutrient intake was expressed in absolute amounts for more objective analysis. • Glutamic acid had the highest intake among 18 amino acids, accounting for 19.8%. • Among 19 fatty acids, 18:1 was the most consumed, making up 36.5% of total intake. • Compared to amino acids, fatty acid composition tends to vary more depending on dietary patterns.