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Study: Americans' view of healthful food is changing

About 55 percent of those surveyed said they trusted locally operated and owned restaurants more than national chains, which just 49 percent said they trusted.

May 12, 2016 by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

 Thanks to the media, a significant number of Americans have changed their thinking or actions about food and nutrition, according to the International Food Information Council Foundation's 2016 Food and Health Survey. 

"2016 is a big decision-making year for Americans," said IFIC Foundation President Kimberly Reed. "Not only do we have an upcoming presidential election involving more conversations with new voters, emerging technologies and changing demographics, we also see more factors influencing Americans' food decisions.

"Our 11th annual survey shows that the food dialogue has gained momentum over the past year, with factors including health status, gender, income, education and age influencing Americans' views on the food they eat."

According to the survey, 31 percent of those polled "changed their minds" about something in their diets last year. As surveyed, the respondents invariably said news reports prompted them to take a much more dim view of everything from enriched refined grains and saturated fat, to added sugars and low-calorie sweeteners. Also, the report uncovered a growing appetite for whole grains, planted-sourced proteins and natural sugars.

A desire to know a food's source

The study found that Americans are showing more interest in the details of their foods' origins and ingredients and will change purchasing habits if they don't approve of how the food was sourced. In fact, 44 percent of respondents reported they'd read a book or article or watched a movie that provided a deeper dive into the details of diets and food. More than one-fourth of Americans either changed their food purchasing behaviors according to the survey, while nearly one-fourth shared new information with others.

More inquisitive about ingredients

The number of Americans reporting that they checked the ingredients of the items they ordered or bought increased 7 percent this year to 47 percent. Likewise, the survey found that for an increasing number of Americans healthful food is more about what’s left out, then what’s added.

For 35 percent of those surveyed, a healthy food was one that had either very low or no fat and sugar. And when asked what constitutes a "healthy eating style," the top open-ended response was "moderation." When presented with a list of options about the top ways they ate more healthfully over the last year, those surveyed had two top choices:

• 51 percent responded healthful eating meant choosing "the right mix of different foods."
• 41 percent responded that healthful eating meant choosing food with "limited or no artificial ingredients."  

A lesson for restaurateurs: Consumers equate local food with trustworthy food

The survey also found that food grown and served locally is considered far more trustworthy than options shipped from points unknown. More than 70 percent of respondents said they trusted regionally sourced food, while only 24 percent said the same of food shipped from other countries. And that extended to the restaurant industry in that, 55 percent of those surveyed said they trusted locally operated and owned restaurants more than national chains, which just 49 percent said they trusted.

Quest for health is most often a quest to be thinner

The survey also found that well over half the country (57 percent) was trying to lose weight, with 23 percent seeking to shed up to 10 pounds and 34 percent hoping to shed a lot more. To accomplish that, the overwhelming majority of people said they were seeking to increase their exercise as the primary method of reduction.

The aforementioned quarter-slice of Americans who reported changing their diets this year usually did that by taking in more fruits and vegetables, drinking more calorie-free liquids and making "small changes.” 

So, what's all this mean for those who serve fast and convenient meals through their restaurants? Clearly, the shift toward simpler, more healthful and more locally sourced foods is underway in a big way. And the more information you can give customers that make clear that your menu is filled with these kinds of options, the more of today's customers you're likely to attract.

Menu-labeling legislation set to take effect in about a year is likely to assist that effort, as long as what the labels reveal about your menu items is in sync with the preferences that Americans appear to have for better nutrition, simplicity and fewer calories. The lessons in these survey results indicate that the restaurants that do that best and communicate it effectively are way ahead of the game.

For the complete results, go online to http://www.foodinsight.org./

About S.A. Whitehead

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Pizza Marketplace and QSRweb editor Shelly Whitehead is a former newspaper and TV reporter with an affinity for telling stories about the people and innovative thinking behind great brands.