Study: The Number Of Calories An Average American Eats Every Day Will Surprise You

We're so used to hearing that Americans are the fattest nation in the world that it's easy to breathe a sigh of relief when we find out that other nations are imperfect too. The Daily Meal received an exclusive report from Dr. Ed (a for-profit online medical consultation service) that compares portion sizes, dietary advice, and nutrient consumption around the world based on nutritional information and pictures of typical meals in those countries taken by researchers.

The study specifically compared the United States, France, Germany, the U.K., and the rest of the world. It turns out that Americans consume half as many grains as the rest of the world (excluding France, Germany, and the U.K.). This makes sense, because grains are a staple in countries like Italy (pasta), Spain (rice), and developing countries where simple carbs are a relatively affordable means of providing basic nutrition.

Check out Food Pyramids From Around the World

Here are some other fascinating statistics:

— Americans consume more calories on a daily basis (3,682) than any other country, but it's worth noting that people in every country studied ate at least 1,500 calories more than the recommended daily value of 2,000.

— Americans eat more meat than the worldwide average — 13.9 percent of our diets, on average, as compared with 9.2 percent for the world overall.

— Germany eats the fewest vegetables of any of the surveyed countries.

— Most people in the rest of the world (outside the U.K., France, Germany, and the U.S.) get the majority of their calories (close to 50 percent) from fruits and vegetables.