The USDA's 1977-1978 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey was utilized to assess dietary intake levels of cholesterol, fatty acids, sodium, and potassium by several age/sex groups of the U.S. population. Results indicated that mean cholesterol intakes for all male age groups of 12 yr and older exceeded 300 mg/day while the mean intakes of females and children were less than 300 mg/day. However, approximately 30% of each age group of adult females exceeded 300 mg cholesterol per day and only about one-third of the adult males had average intakes of less than 300 mg/day. Between 39% and 44% of total kilocalories were obtained from fat consumption with saturated fatty acids contributing 13-15%, polyunsaturated fatty acids contributing 5-6% and oleic acid contributing 12-14% of total kilocaloric intake. We found that 90% of children ages 6-11 yr and adult females had saturated fatty acids intakes of less than 40 gm/day; 90% of all men had intakes of less than 55 gm/day. At least 90% of all age/sex groups averaged intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids of less than 26 gm/day. Average daily sodium intakes for each age/sex group (excluding table salt) were within the limits considered safe and adequate. However, approximately 4% of each age group of adult females and about 25% of each of the three younger adult male groups had average sodium intakes of 4000 mg/day or more. Average daily potassium intakes were somewhat low, ranging from 1584 mg/day for children ages 0-5 yr to 2735 mg/day for males ages 51-64 yr.