Seeing Nutrition Through the Consumer's Eyes

Seeing Nutrition through the Consumer’s Eyes

Shelley Goldberg, MPH, RD

Senior Director

International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation

Nutrient Essentials:

Sodium and the Healthy Plate

July 10, 2008

International Food InformationCouncil (IFIC) Foundation

Mission:

To effectively communicate science-based information on health, nutrition, and food safety for the public good.

Primarily supported by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries.

http://www.ific.org

Research To Be Covered

IFIC Foundation• Food & Health Survey (2006-2008)

• Food Biotechnology: A Study of U.S. Consumer Attitudinal Trends (2003-2007)

• Addressing the Obesity Debate: A Consumer Point of View (2004)

http://ific.org/research

IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey

2006

2007

http://ific.org2008

Methodology

*Weighting is a widely accepted statistical technique that is used to ensure that the distribution of the sample reflects that of the population on key demographics. With any data collection method, even when the outgoing sample is balanced to the Census, some populations are more likely than others to respond.

↑ Significant increase from year indicated↓ Significant decrease from year indicated

IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008

Methodology Web Survey

Population Representative Sample of Americans Aged 18+

Data Collection Period February 21-March 11, 2008

Sample Size (Error)n=1,000 (+ 3.1 For 2008)(+ 4.4 Among 2008, 2007, 2006)

Data Weighting* Data Weighted on Age, Income, Education and Race

Attitudes Toward Health

41% 31% 9%3% 17%2008

The majority of Americans view their health status positively.

(n=1000)

Which of the following best describes your overall health status?

IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008↑ Significant increase from year indicated↓ Significant decrease from year indicated

Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent

Total does not add to 100 percent due to rounding

81%

A little over half of Americans are satisfied with their health status.


(n=1000)

6% 18% 17% 46% 14%2008

How satisfied are you with your overall health status?


Not At All Satisfied

Not Very Satisfied

Neither Satisfied Nor Unsatisfied

Somewhat Satisfied

Extremely Satisfied


60%

Health: Where consumers are and where they want to be.

Unhealthy Healthy

International Food Information Council, 2004

Where they ARE

Where they WANT to be

What’s healthy, what’s not.

Healthy

• Active• Energetic• Confident• Smiling• Good complexion• Good posture• Bright and wide-eyed• Works out/is fit• Positive attitude• Well-rested

Unhealthy

Overweight Unkempt Smokes/drinks/does drugs Walks slowly Dejected, holds head down Bundle of nerves Lays on couch Out of breath Dull skin Depressed/negative

vs.


Consumers and Dietary Changes

The majority of Americans have made changes to improve the healthfulness

of their diet in the past six months.


57%

66%

67%

43%

34%

33%

2006

2007

2008

(n=1000)

Over the past six months, have you made any changes in an effort to improve the healthfulness of your diet?


Yes No

Losing weight (and improving health) is a top driver of dietary change.


Maintain my weight

Specific healthcondition

To improve myphysical health *

To improve myoverall well-being *

To lose weight

2008 (n=669)

For which of the following reasons, if any, are you trying to improve the healthfulness of your diet?

* Modification from 2006: “To improve my overall health” (69%) was changed to two items, including “To improve my overall well-being” and “To improve my physical health”.


↓’07/’06

↑’06 69%

69%

64%

34%

11%

71%

35%

37%

21%

Consuming less of aspecific type of food or

beverage

Consuming more of aspecific type offood/beverage

Eating more of a certainfood component

Eating less of a certainfood component

Consumers say they increase and decrease consumption to improve their

diet’s healthfulness.

Which of the following changes, if any, have you made in the past six months to improve the healthfulness of your diet?

↑’06

↑’06

↑’07

IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey 2008↑ Significant increase from year indicated↓ Significant decrease from year indicated

2008 (n=669)

67% 62% 61% 59% 61%

39%40%38%37%33%

Thinking about your diet over the past few months, are there any foods or ingredients that you have avoided or eaten less of?

Many consumers report avoiding certain foods/ingredients.

The number of Americans that say they are avoiding certain foods or ingredients has been stable for the past three years.

YesNo

2004 2005 2006 20072003


[IF AVOIDED FOODS] What foods or ingredients have you avoided? [OPEN END]

Types of foods and ingredients consumers report avoiding.

= Statistically significant

50%

33%

28%

12%

16%

2%

1%

0%

11%

54%

38%

21%

15%

14%

4%

2%

2%

11%

0%0%

Sugar/carbs

Fats/oils/cholesterol

Animal products

Salt/sodium

Snack foods/fastfoods/soda

Artificial/additives

Spices

Processed/refined foods

Biotech

Other

20062007


Nutrition Information and Messaging

Information Interesting but Confusing and Conflicting


9%

27%

25%

28%

67%

45%

Disagree Neither Disagree Nor Agree Agree

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding food and health information?

Reading or hearing about the relationship

between food and health is of interest to

me

I feel that food and health information is

confusing and conflicting

2008 (n=1000)


Consumers tell us how to make messages more effective.

• Consumer mandates:– Be positive– Keep it short and simple– Create it just for me– Make it specific and manageable– Provide the payoff– Talk food– Make it fun!

54%

53%

54%

41%

37%

35%

29%

25%

26%

27%

23%

19%

30%

35%

31%

29%

35%

28%

33%

40%

32%

28%

32%

30%

2008

2007

2006

2008

2007

2006

2008

2007

2006

2008

2007

2006

Taste is the #1 factor influencing Americans’ food and beverage

purchasing decisions.


How much of an impact do the following have on your decision to buy foods and beverages?

84%

88%

85%

70%

72%

64%

62%

65%

58%

55%

55%

48%

Taste

Price

Healthfulness

Convenience

↑’06

↓’07

(n=1000)


↑’06

↑’06

↑’06

Great impact

Some impact

*One percent difference due to more rigorous rounding criteria

*

*

In Summary...


•Consumers have a desire to be healthier

•Health is holistic and means something different to everyone

•Efforts to improve health must:

•Consider lifestyle factors

•Be positive

•Involve tasty food

Technology

Seeing Nutrition Through the Consumer's Eyes