By: Jania Matthews   Date: 5/6/11

Today’s environment is literally all about food. Food is discussed each and every day, in multiple platforms, through multiple perspectives.  For some the interest in food relates to weight and health, and for others it’s about safety and even joy—yes, I believe some people are interested in food for the mere palatable joy. 

With that in mind, allow me to introduce the International Food Information Council Foundation 2011 Food & Health Survey.  This year’s Survey, like the iterations that came before, takes the pulse of consumers’ attitudes toward food safety, nutrition, and health topics.  Each year, the IFIC Foundation gains valuable insight from consumers relating to food and nutrition and this year was no different. 

What insight did we gain from the IFIC Foundation 2011 Food & Health Survey?
Increasingly for Americans the price of food is an important factor, almost as important as the taste of it. Although taste remains the top consideration (87 percent), 79 percent of Americans say price impacts their decision when deciding which foods and beverages to purchase, a six percent increase from 2010 and a noteworthy 15 percent increase since 2006. While healthfulness (66 percent), convenience (58 percent) and sustainability (52 percent) play roles in consumer decision making, no other motivator rose at the same rate as price over the past five years. Interestingly, these trends are consistent with what drives Americans’ menu decisions at restaurants: taste (69 percent) and price (61 percent) are ranked as the top two motivators. And when Americans were asked to provide an unaided response, they also say that lower prices are the top driver that would lead them to make more healthful choices when shopping for food.

Additional Key Findings include:
• Trust in the Safety of Imported Foods is Low: Sixty-one percent of Americans believe that imported food is less safe than foods produced in the U.S., citing less regulation as the top reason. Trust in the safety of the U.S. food supply, however, remains stable; half of Americans are extremely or somewhat confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply, similar to previous years. The top U.S. food safety concern continues to be foodborne illness (50 percent in 2011).

• Calorie Confusion Remains: Only nine percent of Americans can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day for a person of their age, height, weight, and physical activity. Additionally, almost half of Americans are unable to provide an estimate of how many calories they burn in a day (60 percent offer inaccurate estimates). Furthermore, the majority of Americans do not keep track of calories consumed or burned, citing numerous barriers, including extreme difficulty and a lack of interest, knowledge, and focus.

• Americans are More Receptive to Positive Food Messages: Despite the popularity of some “food rules” which suggest certain foods to avoid, Americans more and more say they would rather hear what to eat (63 percent) instead of what not to eat.  The interest in positive messaging rose seven percent since 2009 when the Survey last polled Americans on this sentiment.
 

Wait, there’s more! To view an executive summary and access the full findings, please visit the Food & Health Survey page on www.foodinsight.org.