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AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION SURVEY
shows consumers are seeking nutrition information, getting the message, making changes
May 20, 2002
CHICAGO -- More Americans are seeking information on food and nutrition, tuning in to healthful-eating messages and taking action to improve their nutrition and health than at any time in the past decade, according to findings of the American Dietetic Association's nationwide public opinion survey, Nutrition and You: Trends 2002.
"The results show that consumers are paying close attention to healthful-eating messages and, especially in the last two years, they are acting on what they have heard to improve the nutritional health of themselves and their families," said New York City registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson Keith Ayoob.
Every two years for more than a decade, ADA has surveyed a representative sample of the nation's adults on important issues in food and nutrition. A number of the survey's questions were new for 2002, while several questions have been asked in each survey since 1991 to track the evolution of people's attitudes, knowledge, beliefs and behaviors.
Each of ADA's surveys has grouped Americans into three categories, based upon their responses to questions about the importance of nutrition and physical activity in their lives and whether they feel they are doing all they can to achieve a healthful diet. The three categories are:
"I'm Already Doing It." These are people who say they have made significant adjustments in their eating behavior during the past two years to achieve a healthful, nutritious diet.
"I Know I Should, But..." These people feel they know what healthful eating behavior is and that they should eat a healthful diet, but for one reason or another haven't done so.
"Don't Bother Me." These are people who -- whether or not they feel informed about healthful eating -- have decided it's not a concern of theirs.
ADA's 2002 survey shows 38 percent of Americans fall into the "I'm Already Doing It" category -- by far the largest percentage in that group in the survey's history. In 2000, 28 percent said they were "already doing it," the largest percentage to date at that point.
The number of people who fall into the "I Know I Should, But..." category dropped to 30 percent this year -- the lowest ever in this category -- from 40 percent in 2000.
The percentages for the third category, "Don't Bother Me," were unchanged from 2000 to 2002, holding at 32 percent. That is down significantly from a high of 40 percent as recently as 1997.
"These key indicators of people's attitudes and behavior toward nutrition and physical activity have held remarkably stable over the past two years," Ayoob said. "It's very encouraging that consumers both recognize the related importance of diet and exercise and appear to be consistently making efforts to keep themselves and their families healthy."
Ayoob said the survey results suggest future "migration" of consumers between groups may be limited to people -- comprising about two-thirds of the population -- who pay attention to nutrition messages and then decide whether to act on them.
"The 'Don't Bother Me' percentage seems to have dropped about as far as it's going to go and might be settling in at a permanent level," Ayoob said. "In the future, we may start seeing a pattern of people seesawing between 'I Know I Should, ButŠ' and 'I'm Already Doing It.'
"The goal for dietetics professionals will be to bring as many of the first group as possible to the second group -- and keep them there."
With nearly 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Chicago-based ADA serves the public by promoting optimal health and nutrition. Visit ADA at eatright.org
Survey results are based on telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 700 adults conducted in April 2002 by Wirthlin Worldwide. The survey has a confidence interval of plus-or-minus 5 percent in 95 out of 100 cases.
