How much potassium is the U.S. population consuming?

In 2017-2018, the average daily potassium intake of the population 2 years and older was 2496 mg (data not shown). Potassium intake of males 12 years and older was significantly higher than females (P<0.001). Within gender, differences were not significant among those 2-19 years and among adults 20+ years.

Figure 1

Potassium intake of the U.S. population by gender and age, 2017-2018. * Males significantly different from females, P<0.001.

What is the potassium density of the U.S. diet?

The higher total potassium intake by males is explained by their higher energy intakes. When potassium density is examined after adjusting for energy intake, potassium densities of the diets of all females 2+ years as well as those 20+ years were significantly higher than their male counterparts (P<0.001). Within each gender, some differences among age groups were observed (data not shown). The diets of both males and females 2-5 years had significantly higher potassium density compared to those 6-19 years (P<0.001). Among adults 20 years and older, potassium density of diets for those over 60 years of age was higher than those 20-39 years (P<0.001). Adults 40-59 years of age did not differ from either. Total potassium intakes did not differ by age among males and females as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2

Potassium intake per 1000 kilocalories by gender and by age, 2017-2018. * Males significantly different from females, P<0.001.

What is the distribution of potassium intake among the U.S. population on a given day?

Table 1 shows mean daily intake of potassium and intake at selected percentiles by age category on the reporting day. Except for males 20 years and older, most individuals consumed less than 2600 mg on the reporting day. Among females 20 years and older and among those 12-19 years, about one-quarter consumed more than 2600 mg or more of potassium. Among males 20 years and older, around one-quarter consumed more than 3400 mg on the reporting day.

Table 1

Distribution of daily potassium intake by the U.S. population by age on a given day, 2017-2018.

Does potassium intake differ by race/ethnicity or income?

Among adults, Non-Hispanic Blacks had a lower potassium intake than other race/ethnicity groups (P<0.001). Potassium intake of Non-Hispanic Black males was significantly lower than Non-Hispanic White and Hispanic males (data not shown). There were no differences in potassium intake among females by race/ethnicity. Differences by race/ethnicity were similar for potassium density, though Non-Hispanic Whites had a significantly lower potassium density compared to Non-Hispanic Asians (data not shown). There were no differences in potassium intake by income level (data not shown).

Figure 3

Potassium intake of males and females 20+ years by race/ethnicity, 2017-2018. ^a,b,cMeans with different superscripts are significantly different, P<0.001.

What foods contain potassium?

Foods that are higher in potassium include fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, and protein foods such as meat, poultry, some fish, and beans and peas. Grains and grain products, sweets, and fats and oils have a lower potassium content. Table 2 shows the potassium content of several representative foods per 100 grams for common serving sizes. More information about potassium in other foods can be found at What’s In The Foods You Eat Search Tool.

Table 2

Potassium content of selected foods per 100 grams and for common measures.

What foods contribute to potassium intake of the population?

As shown in Table 3, Fruits and Vegetables contributed 20% of total potassium intake for the population, of which almost three-quarters was from Vegetables. Of the total contribution by Vegetables, about half was from White potatoes (except chips). Grain-based Mixed Dishes such as pasta mixed dishes, pizza, sandwiches and fried rice accounted for about 15% of total potassium intake. Ten percent of potassium intake was from Meats and Poultry. Smaller percentages of potassium intake were contributed by Milk and Milk Drinks (8%), and Coffee and Tea (7%). Savory snacks, Plant-based Protein Foods, Meat/Poultry mixed dishes, and 100% juices each accounted for about 3% of potassium intake of the population.

Table 3

Percent contribution of What We Eat in America food categories to potassium intake of the U.S population 2+ years, 2017-2018.

Definitions

Adequate Intake

The recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate – used when an Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) cannot be determined. (2)

Potassium density

The amount of potassium in a specified amount of a food or diet in order to make comparisons. Comparisons of the potassium density of foods are usually on a per 100-gram basis, and comparisons of the potassium density of the diet are usually on a per 1000 kcal basis.

References

1.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines​.gov.

2.

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. 2020. Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee: Advisory Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington, DC. Available at: 10.52570/DGAC2020 [CrossRef]

3.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 10.17226/25353. [PubMed: 30844154] [CrossRef]

4.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2020. USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies 2017-2018. Food Surveys Research Group Home Page, http://www​.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg

5.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Food Data Central, 2019. fdc​.nal.usda.gov.

Data source

Estimates in this report are based on one day of dietary intake data collected in What We Eat in America (WWEIA), the dietary intake interview component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), in 2017-2018. Using the 5-step USDA Automated Multiple-Pass Method (AMPM) for the 24-hour recall, day 1 dietary data were collected in-person. A total of 7,122 individuals age 2+ years (3,481 males and 3,641 females), excluding breastfed infants, who provided complete and reliable dietary intake data in 2017-2018 were included. Sample weights were applied in all analyses to produce nationally representative estimates. USDA’s What We Eat in America food categories were used to describe contribution of foods to potassium intake.

Hoy MK, Goldman JD, Moshfegh AJ. Potassium: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017-2018. Food Surveys Research Group Dietary Data Brief No. 47.