Nutrient Density: Consumer Understanding, Perceptions and Behaviors

Download the full report. Many Americans make food and beverage decisions every day with the goal of eating a healthy, well-balanced diet. Most people are generally aware that we should seek foods that are rich in healthful components and aim to be observant of compounds that can be less-than-healthful in large amounts. “Nutrient density” is a term that describes this concept—it incorporates the balance of beneficial nutrients in a food (like vitamins, minerals, lean protein, healthy fats and fiber) compared with nutrients to limit (like saturated fat, sodium, added sugars and refined carbohydrates). The federal 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans strongly emphasizes the importance of choosing nutrient-dense foods and beverages, using the term throughout the report. But what do consumers know about nutrient density? And how, if at all, do they apply it to their own eating habits and purchasing decisions? The IFIC Foundation set out to understand more in the Consumer Understanding and Influence of Nutrient Density Survey. Here are some key takeaways: Nearly two in three people have heard of nutrient density, but far fewer can explain what it means. Sixty-four percent of survey respondents said that they had either heard the term before or at least thought they knew what it means, but slightly less than one in four said that they could explain nutrient density to someone else. Thirty-six percent said that they had never heard of the term before. “These results indicate that although nutrient density is a term that many have heard, there is a gap in understanding,” says Joseph Clayton, CEO of the IFIC Foundation. There is a split in consumer confidence in identifying nutrient-dense foods. Even though almost two in three people have heard of nutrient density, only 43% said that they were very or somewhat confident in their ability to identify […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Climate Change & Food Production

When many of us hear the term climate change, we think about changes in the weather and how human activity impacts our environment. Many consumers, as uncovered in IFIC’s previous research, also think about the environment when shopping for foods and beverages. Our latest survey dives deeper into climate change specifically as a factor in consumers’ minds when considering what foods to buy and, ultimately, to eat. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about climate change and food choices. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from April 9-10, 2020, and responses were weighted to ensure proportional results.  Key findings include:

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: A Second Look At COVID-19’s Impact On Food Purchasing, Eating Behaviors & Perceptions Of Food Safety

In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has been entrenched in our daily lives for over two months. In the midst of its impact on the health of many and the lives of everyone, the way we’re thinking and acting around food and food safety continues to evolve. We conducted our first consumer research on COVID-19’s effects on shopping for food, eating habits and perspectives on food safety in early April. This most recent survey, fielded May 7th to May 12th, serves as a follow-up to this initial research. It tracks several questions asked previously in April and asks new ones to help us better capture the full scale of the pandemic’s effects on how we think and feel about food in these ever-changing times. Key findings include:  

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Consumer Insights On Gut Health & Probiotics

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online research survey with consumers based in the US to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about gut health and probiotics. One thousand adults aged 18+ years completed the survey from March 4-9, 2022, 7-13, and responses were weighted to ensure proportional results From kombucha to kimchi to kefir, the connection between certain foods and gut health is a hot topic in nutrition right now. And this trend is more than a gut feeling: Americans’ interest in learning more about prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics and the gut microbiome has grown significantly over the past decade. IFIC’S 2021 Food and Health Survey found that more people were trying to consume probiotics and prebiotics in 2021 compared with just one year earlier. But to what extent do Americans prioritize gut health? How familiar are we with food components like pre-, pro-, post- and synbiotics? What products are we choosing, and why? This survey took a deeper dive. Key findings include:

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2022 IFIC Food & Health Survey Spotlight: Generation Z

Don’t let their age fool you—at 18 to 24 years old, Gen Z might be the youngest generation of adults, but their perspectives on food are loud and clear. IFIC’s 17th annual 2022 Food and Health Survey offers some especially compelling findings about young Americans’ perceptions and behaviors around food and food-related purchasing decisions, with valuable insights on how Gen Z views health and nutrition. Perceptions on Health Somewhat unsurprisingly for the youngest adult generation, most Gen Zers describe their own health as “excellent” or “very good,” with 59% saying so. Their healthy self-perception supports Gen Zers’ definition of healthy food: when asked to select the top attributes that define a healthy food, the most popular definitions among Gen Z included food that was a “good source of nutrients” (35%), food that was “fresh” (34%), and food that contained fruits or vegetables (30%). When asked about their most sought-after health benefits, it’s evident that Gen Z prioritizes bolstering both their physical and mental health; the top benefits they seek out from foods, beverages, and nutrients were having more energy or less fatigue (with 38% saying this), improved sleep (35%), emotional or mental health (33%), and digestive or gut health (29%). Seeking out emotional and mental health benefits could be, in part, due to Gen Zers’ self-reported levels of stress. When asked about their stress levels over the past six months, 73% said they felt “very” or “somewhat” stressed, with one-third (33%) saying they were “very” stressed. Among those who sought to improve their nutrition or diet to manage or reduce their stress, over two in five respondents specifically cited practicing mindful or intuitive eating to accomplish stress management; they were also more likely than Gen Xers to say so (41%, versus 11% of Gen Xers). At the same time, Gen […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: American Consumer Perceptions Of Sodium In The Diet

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online survey among U.S. consumers to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about sodium consumption. One thousand adults ages 18 years and older completed the online survey from March 7-9, 2024, and respondents were weighted to ensure proportional results. Key findings include:

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions Of Sweeteners In Foods & Beverages

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online survey among U.S. consumers to gauge perceptions, preferences, and recent consumption patterns of sweeteners in foods and beverages. One thousand adults ages 18 years and older completed the online survey from April 5-9, 2024, and respondents were weighted to ensure proportional results. Some questions in this 2024 sweeteners survey were also asked in IFIC’s 2023 sweeteners survey. Key findings include:  

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What A Pediatric Nutrition Expert Says About Baby Food and Infant Formula

In light of a recent wave of media coverage related to a report stating that “alarming” levels of arsenic, lead and cadmium were found in baby food, we called a pediatric nutrition expert to help us navigate this news cycle. Dr. Keith T. Ayoob, a pediatric nutritionist and registered dietitian at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, answered our questions about the safety of baby food currently on the market today. Here are Dr. Ayoob’s tips for parents: Based on the recent report, is there any reason to change a child’s diet? Not really. I wouldn’t change my recommendations about baby food, infant formula or a child’s diet based on one report. I also have strong concerns about it.  It’s not clear why the study and results were not submitted to a peer-reviewed journal of experts where toxicologists and other professionals could review the data, the findings and the context for the conclusions. For example, what trace amounts of metal have been found in baby food?  So, if they are detected in baby food, is this something new?  Wouldn’t the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pull these products off the market? Wouldn’t we see a public health outbreak?  My experience and skills tell me this is not something new or anything to be alarmed about.  Peer-review would help ensure that any conclusions would be placed in the proper context whereas this latest incredible-to-believe piece of work got smeared across our media and news outlets without any context for the consumer. It troubles me to see the rapid spread of misinformation as a clinician who sees children regularly. I have the responsibility for giving evidence-based advice to parents and caregivers of all economic and cultural backgrounds.  Just as troubling is an organization can advocate for “greater transparency” on labels, yet doesn’t […]

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