That may be why Americans get a failing grade in nutritional knowledge, according to results from the International Food Information Council Foundation’s 12th annual Diet and Health Survey.
We don’t just consume food, we consume information about food, and the information buffet is busier than ever. To varying degrees, we listen to advice not only from experienced nutrition professionals, but also from health coaches, personal trainers, social media, bloggers, television, government agencies and food companies. Is our inability to determine the best and most reliable sources of information standing in the way of the improved health we almost universally seek?
Friends and family followed only personal health professionals as sources of information on what foods to eat or avoid. Yet respondents rated friends and family low on the trustworthiness scale (healthcare providers rated high) for information about what foods to eat and avoid. Your immediate circle is also probably the biggest influence on your decision to follow a specific diet or diet – with healthcare providers and registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) trailing behind.
Are you confused about nutrition? You’re not alone. About 8 in 10 respondents to the IFIC survey believe there is a lot of conflicting advice out there about what foods they should or shouldn’t eat, and many find this conflicting information makes them doubt their food choices. This doubt is likely amplified when we turn to our best friends and Aunt Betties, who are just as confused as we are when relaying information they “read somewhere.”
One potential bright spot is the finding that scientific studies are viewed as a reliable source of information, particularly among millennials (ages 18 to 34). Along the same lines, respondents also place a lot of trust in news articles and headlines, which often report new scientific studies. The problem is that isolated research studies don’t tell the whole story, and many articles – and almost no titles – provide context for the entire body of research on a nutrition or health topic.
So where does this leave us? We want our diet to help us be healthier, but we fail to connect the dots between our desired health benefits and the foods that can actually help us achieve them. The benefits we most aspire to are weight management, cardiovascular health, increased energy and digestive health, but less than half of those surveyed could name a single food or nutrient that would help them achieve these goals. (Hint: non-starchy vegetables, omega-3s from oily fish, caffeine and yogurt.)
Respondents even had trouble determining what “healthy” means. For example, when given identical nutrition information for two products, respondents considered a higher price, brand name, short list of ingredients, and location of purchase (health food store vs. a convenience store) as health measures. They also rated fresh food products as healthier than their frozen or canned counterparts, and said bagged baby carrots are more processed than organic bagged baby carrots. The problem is that none of these traits are inherently associated with better nutrition and health. For example, frozen or canned vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables – or even more nutritious if that fresh produce has traveled the world and spent time in storage before becoming sad and limp in a refrigerator.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult. Eat more vegetables (of all kinds). Cook more at home. Choose foods that are in their original state or less refined. When you choose to consume sugar, eat it, don’t drink it. Be careful with nutritional “hearsay,” especially if it involves a “secret” or dramatic revelation that “changes everything we thought we knew.” The science of nutrition is evolving, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Oh, and if you have a health problem that may be nutrition-related, consult a doctor or dietitian.
Other survey results:
• Weight loss is the most sought-after health benefit between ages 18 and 49, but prevention of cardiovascular disease becomes more important after age 50.
• Opinions on added sugars and artificial sweeteners have become more polarized over the past year, with many people choosing one to specifically avoid the other. Friends and family have a big influence on this topic.
•Nearly 3 in 4 people surveyed seek out non-GMO labels because they believe these foods are healthier, safer, or better for the environment.
Dennett is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Nutrition by Carrie.
