Cracking The Code: What Will It Really Take To Make America Eat Healthy?

Have you ever created a seemingly foolproof plan to execute—only to watch it unfold far differently than you expected? As food and nutrition professionals, this is a challenge that many of us face as we work to communicate evidence-based plans and strategies to help consumers advance their goals and improve their health. The overall evidence supporting the basics of a healthy diet pattern is, in many respects, strong. Sure, questions remain. Do individual differences affect how macronutrients impact health? How do tens of thousands of phytonutrients function in the body? There are countless unknowns, and it will take generations to uncover them. Still, the most pressing questions—the ones with immediate, weighty implications—center on how we can effectively enable consumers to initiate, adopt, and sustain healthier eating patterns. Make no mistake, the stakes are rising alongside the increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and chronic diseases. Good nutrition can help mitigate these conditions. Perhaps Charles Duhigg, award-winning journalist and author of The Power of Habit said it best: “The gap between knowing and doing is where most of our food struggles live.” Improving Consumer Communication Through Research One of the keys to helping consumers eat healthier lies in what insights we can gather from consumers directly. This is one of IFIC’s greatest strengths—our relentless pursuit to be a “consumer whisperer” through our research and consumer insights platform. Specifically, we are interested in: Through the annual IFIC Food & Health Survey, monthly IFIC Spotlight Surveys, and a range of research initiatives, IFIC uncovers the beliefs, intentions, and behaviors that shape consumer food and beverage decisions. The IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions & Priorities on Healthy Eating offers key insights to understand consumers’ food and health struggles. Understanding Americans’ Top Food & Nutrition Priorities In the Stages of Change Model, pre-contemplation progresses to contemplation, […]

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Americans Grade Themselves Better Than Average For Diet Healthfulness  

New Research Reveals Rising Awareness Of Dietary Guidance, Label Information & Ultraprocessed Foods  (Washington, D.C.) — Americans are paying closer attention to what’s on their plates and demonstrate greater awareness of dietary guidance, label information, and ultraprocessed foods. In fact, according to the 2025 International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food & Health Survey, Americans grade their personal diets higher than the average Americans’ diet.  “With the upcoming release of the MAHA Commission Strategy Report and the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, food, nutrition and health are poised to take center stage in the national dialogue,” said IFIC President & CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN. “Before diving into these critical conversations, we must first listen to the consumer: How do they perceive their own eating habits, and how do those perceptions measure up against national recommendations?”  In 2025, 64% of Americans graded their own diet as a B– or better, while only 24% gave the same grade to the average American’s diet. While the grade given to their personal diets has not significantly changed since Americans were last to examine their diets in 2013, there is improvement in the grade given to the average American diet—up 11 percentage points since 2013.   “When we look at the research results, it echoes what we found more than a decade ago—that people perceive their own diets to be healthier than that of the average American. While this trend continues, we also see that Americans see improvement in the diets of their fellow Americans,” said Kris Sollid, RD, IFIC Senior Director of Consumer Insights & Research.   Dietary Guidance Reaches More Americans  Awareness of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) continues to grow. In 2025, 44% said they know at least a fair amount about the DGA, nearly double the share from 2009. […]

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A Simple Guide to Plant-Based Eating

There’s no doubt that following a special eating pattern has become increasingly en-vogue in recent years—and the rising popularity of specific diets continues to be backed up by data from IFIC’s annual Food and Health Survey. Among the top growing dietary trends is plant-based eating, and it gets a lot of hype for good reason—scientific research shows that plant-based diets can have many benefits. But here’s the rub: What individuals perceive as “plant-based eating” is highly variable, and the term is not well-defined. Case in point? Some people assume the term “plant-based” is another way to describe vegetarian or vegan eating. In reality, a broad spectrum of plant-based eating exists, and there’s no one way to do it. If you’re looking for tips increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat—and maybe even foray into your own version of plant-based eating—use the below guide to understand what plant-based can mean, what its benefits are, and how you can implement this eating style. Defining “Plant-Based” Plant-based diets have existed since ancient times, but the term “plant-based” is just around 20 years old, according to a 2022 review that defines plant-based foods as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, spices, and whole grains. Unlike vegan eating, a plant-based or, alternatively, plant-focused, diet does not have to exclude animal foods like red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and dairy. Rather, a plant-based eater may still enjoy animal foods while deliberately building an overall eating pattern that is rich in or primarily made of plants, but not consisting only of plants. The Benefits of a Plant-based Diet There’s no doubt that many plant-based foods are full of nutrition and health benefits. Just the act of making healthy, plant-based choices can confer better nutrition in the way of more vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. But plant-based […]

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Fast Take: Do Ultraprocessed Foods Cause Weight Gain?

While the quantity and quality of processed foods in our diets continue to be a major focus in articles and discussions about diet, the role of ultraprocessed foods is now gaining more attention. A new study published in Cell Metabolism is bringing the topic of ultraprocessed back in the news­­. This time, researchers are examining the link among ultraprocessed foods, calorie intake and weight gain. You may have seen the headlines, but what about the findings? Let’s take a closer look. How Was the Study Done? This study was a randomized control trial (RCT) conducted on twenty healthy people (ten males and ten females). Study participants were between the ages of 18 and 50 (the average age was 31), had a body mass index (BMI) above 18.5 (the average BMI was 27) and had body weights that had remained stable during the six months prior to the study. For 28 days, the participants lived at the National Institutes of Health facility in Bethesda, Maryland, where all their daily food and drinks were provided for them. The study assessed participants’ food intake and the resulting changes in their body weights. Two diets were tested in the study: one consisting entirely of ultraprocessed foods and the other containing only unprocessed foods. The diets were equal in total calories, macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates and protein), sugars, sodium and fiber. To construct the meal plans, study authors used the NOVA classification system, which characterizes food processing in the following four groups: (1) unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (2) processed culinary ingredients, (3) processed foods, and (4) ultraprocessed foods. In other words, the “unprocessed” diet was put together with foods from group 1 and the “ultraprocessed” diet was made with foods from group 4. Randomly, ten people were assigned to begin with the ultraprocessed diet for […]

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Transglutaminase: Safety, Function and Benefit to Our Food Supply

With the rise and fall of nutritional trends, scary news about new food ingredients, and rediscoveries of traditionally used ingredients, some common parts of our food supply often fall in and out of public scrutiny. One such ingredient is Transglutaminase (TG), a naturally occurring enzyme used to develop flavors and enhance texture in food. Unfortunately, its nickname (“meat glue”) does nothing to accurately describe its safety, function and benefit to the consumer.  Today, we will correct a few inaccuracies and share some science to debunk several myths and misperceptions associated with the use of Transglutaminase in our food supply.  First off, what is Transglutaminase (TG)?  TG is an enzyme that occurs naturally in plants, animals, and our bodies. The TG enzyme helps our bodies perform certain tasks such as building muscle, destroying toxins and breaking down food particles during digestion.  What are enzymes and how are they used in food?  In food, enzymes are used to develop flavors, colors and textures and to enhance the palatability of our favorite foods. Enzymes are critical in making cheese, brewing beer, baking bread and extracting fruit juice.  Other functions of the transglutaminase enzyme include:  What do chefs and culinary experts think of Transglutaminase?  While other safely and often used binders include egg whites or gelatin, the use of TG as a binder reflects the evolution of this practice by famous chefs and culinary experts and contributes to the creation of well-known and popular dishes. TG is mostly associated and used with meat, poultry, and seafood products. For example, it can be used to bind smaller cuts of meat together to make a larger cut, or it can be added to imitation crab or sausages to improve texture. It can even be found in bacon-wrapped beef filets that may be served at your favorite restaurant.   Is TG safe?  Yes. TG is safe to consume and has been classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for over 10 years.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the use of TG in meat and poultry products. In addition, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has verified the safety of the enzyme for meat and poultry products that have been developed to reduce sodium or fat content.  To date, TG has proven to be a safe […]

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2022 IFIC Food & Health Survey: What Is A Healthy Food?

We often hear about the importance of making healthy food choices, but how do Americans define a “healthy food”? And how much of an influence does healthfulness have when we decide what foods to buy and eat? IFIC’s 17th annual 2022 Food and Health Survey explored Americans’ perspectives and behaviors surrounding the term “healthy”—read on for the ways this concept impacts our food choices. The Influence of “Healthfulness” Over the past decade, the idea of “healthfulness” has consistently ranked as the third most influential purchase driver for foods and beverages, and this year was no exception. Sixty percent of survey respondents said that healthfulness had “somewhat” of or “a great” impact on their decision to buy foods and beverages, falling behind taste (80%) and price (68%). Subgroups that were more likely to say that healthfulness was impactful included Millennials (at 65%, versus 53% of Gen Zers and 56% of Boomers); those with an annual income of $75,000 or more (73%, versus 50% of those who earn less than $35,000 a year and 56% of those who earn between $35,000 and $74,000 a year); parents of children under 18 (71%, versus 54% of those who do not have children under 18); and those who buy groceries online more than once a month (67%, versus 51% of those who never buy online groceries). Definitions of Healthy Food Despite Americans’ consistent emphasis on healthfulness in their food choices, this year’s survey also makes clear that there is a great deal of variation in consumer definitions and perceptions of “healthy.” When survey respondents were asked to select up to five different attributes that define a healthy food, the most popular responses were “fresh” (with 37% selecting this), “low in sugar” (32%), and “good source of protein” (29%). These top choices were followed by “contains […]

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One-Third of Americans Are Dieting, Including One in 10 Who Fast … While Consumers Also Hunger for Organic, “Natural” and Sustainable

Download Full Survey FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 16, 2018 More than one in three U.S. consumers are following a specific diet or eating pattern, and they are increasingly averse to carbohydrates and sugar, according to the 13th Annual Food and Health Survey, released today by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. Given a list of diets to choose from, or the option to write in a response, 36 percent of Americans reported following a specific eating pattern or diet within the past year, about two-and-a-half times the number (14 percent) from 2017 when it was an open-ended question. The top eating pattern cited was intermittent fasting (10 percent). Diets considered at least somewhat restrictive of carbohydrates were well-represented, including Paleo (7 percent), low-carb (5 percent), Whole30 (5 percent), high-protein (4 percent), and ketogenic/high-fat (3 percent). Younger consumers (age 18 to 34) were more likely to follow a specific eating pattern or diet than those 35 and above. More Americans than in previous years blame carbs, and specifically sugars, for weight gain. While sugars continue to be the most cited cause of weight gain (33 percent), carbohydrates ranked second at 25 percent, up from 20 percent in 2017. Both of those numbers are the highest since 2011. Fats (16 percent), protein (3 percent) and “all sources” (17 percent) lagged behind when placing blame. Cardiovascular Health Is Top Desired Benefit, But Consumers Don’t Know How To Achieve It Almost all consumers are interested in getting specific health benefits from food or nutrients. However, the top two desired health benefits in 2018 changed places from 2017: This year, 20 percent ranked cardiovascular health as their top desired benefit, followed by weight loss or weight management at 18 percent and energy at 13 percent. In 2017, those numbers were 16 percent, 32 percent […]

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Getting Schooled on Food Safety

Healthy growth and development are among parents’ top priorities as they consider meals to prepare for their children’s school day. For many parents, aiding proper development involves taking necessary precautions to ensure that while their kids are away, they are mindful of food safety habits to prevent foodborne illness. Foodborne illness, or “food poisoning,” is an infection caused by consuming foods and beverages contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, mold, parasites or toxins. Consuming some bacteria, such as those found in yogurt, may be beneficial for gut health; however, intake of harmful microorganisms can result in symptoms like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Foodborne illness is estimated to affect one in six Americans each year, and while most individuals recover with fluid replacement and antibiotics, populations with weaker immune systems like children are at risk for more severe symptoms such as nerve damage and death. In 2015, Attendance Works and the Healthy Schools campaign reported that acute illness accounted for almost 50 percent of student absentees. These health problems, which include foodborne illness, can cause developmental barriers and educational achievement gaps. Luckily, foodborne illness is preventable. As students head back to school with lunches in hand, parents can use and encourage the safe food-handling practices listed below to protect their little ones. Clean Hand washing should be the first step of mealtime and preparing your child’s school lunch or snack. Proper hand washing requires using soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. This helps to ensure that harmful microorganisms are not being introduced to kids through food items. Be sure to also clean utensils and kitchen surfaces with soap and hot water before preparing food. Separate To prevent bacterial transfer, it is important to handle raw meat products separate from produce. For parents, this means washing their hands after handling […]

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