Caloric Trends (1970–1999)

In 1970, the average daily per capita availability of calories from added fats and oils was approximately 346 calories. By 1999, this figure had climbed to roughly 570–575 calories, representing an increase of about 65%.

This surge made fats and oils the largest contributor to the overall increase in daily caloric availability during this period. While total daily calories per person rose from about 2,054 to nearly 2,500, fats and oils alone accounted for more than 220 additional calories per person per day.

Comparison with HFCS

The trajectory of fat consumption parallels that of High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) but with a higher absolute caloric impact:

• HFCS: Rose from near-zero to a peak of 63.7 pounds per person in 1999 (contributing significantly to the "sugars and sweeteners" category, which added ~76 calories total per day).

• Fats and Oils: Rose from ~346 calories to ~575 calories per day, which added ~225 calories total per day

The data indicates that while HFCS grabbed attention for its rapid introduction, added fats and oils provided a substantially larger portion of the excess calories in the American diet by the end of the 20th century.

Unbekoming related to your recent post regarding gout and sugar consumption. Please do not give fat/oil a free ride here, and blame sugar for the ill health of everyone. Would you consider modifying your post, to show these above facts?