Playing The Long Game: Why Progress On Food, Nutrition & Health Takes Persistence, Patience & Positivity

For the second time in fifteen years, the importance of good nutrition beginning in childhood is at the forefront of national politics. In 2010, Michelle Obama launched Let’s Move!, a campaign aimed at solving childhood obesity within a generation. Today, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement takes up the mantle, focusing on decreasing diet-related chronic diseases in children, including obesity. What may feel like déjà vu is actually an important reminder: while the names and faces may change, nutrition remains a powerful and enduring public health priority. The benefits of consuming nutrient-dense diets are undeniable – longevity, greater productivity, improved quality of life, and lower healthcare costs, to name just a few. Simply put: eating well matters. Good nutrition must begin in childhood. And, Americans still have a long way to go before realizing the health and well-being benefits of greater diet quality. These are facts that most of us can agree on. Where consensus often falters is in how to empower and support Americans to eat healthier, so that they can be healthier. Discerning Disruption From Chaos What do we do if our efforts to increase diet quality in the U.S. have been unsuccessful? Some people are fans of disruption – I’m one of them. Disruption can be a powerful catalyst for change when rooted in science, data, and an understanding of human behavior. Others call for scrapping current approaches entirely. This approach can be less helpful as improving public health while also preserving public trust takes time and energy as well as some degree of consistency. In addition, changing long-standing habits and achieving measurable and meaningful gains at the population level often spans generations. Making America Healthier At IFIC, our north star is the consumer. If we can appreciate where Americans stand –perceptions, emotions, intentions, and behaviors […]

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Supporters

At IFIC, collaboration is central to our mission to communicate science-based information on food safety, nutrition and health. Our supporters include food and beverage companies, commodity boards, academic institutions, government agencies, professional societies, and nonprofits. Their support – from funding our mission to research partnerships to serving on our assembly – helps us produce consumer insights, develop expert education and address misinformation with evidence-based communication. Looking for more? Want to collaborate? If your organization shares our passion for science communication, we’d love to work with you.

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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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The Microbiome with Megan Meyer, PhD [PODCAST]

Did you know that each of our guts has a unique living community containing billions of bacteria? It’s called the microbiome, and on this edition of DataDish: Your Trusted Serving of Science, we’re taking a journey to the center of the gut, led by Megan Meyer, PhD. Megan is Director of Science Communications at the International Food Information Council Foundation. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Loyola University Maryland, as well as a PhD in microbiology and immunology, focused on nutritional immunology, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In this episode, Megan addresses the following topics: Enjoy the podcast! We hope you’re looking forward to learning more about the microbiome as future studies emerge.

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Food Trends for 2023 Will Include Wellness Drinks, Gut Health, Plant-Based Food Innovations, Confusion Around New Labels and Terminology

(Washington, D.C.) — With issues like inflation, supply chain disruptions, technological advancements and changing consumer desires, the food system is experiencing a dizzying level of change and unpredictability. But despite that instability—or because of it—several food trends are emerging for 2023, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC). Among them are healthful beverages, demands for probiotics and protein, a focus on food labels and a lens on diversity in food systems. Drinking Our Way to Wellness In 2023, wellness will continue to be top-of-mind for many consumers, but it will increasingly come in liquid form, driven in large part by consumers looking for added benefits like energy, mental health and gut health support. IFIC’s 2022 Food and Health Survey found that “more energy and less fatigue” were the most sought-after benefit from foods and beverages, with 37% of Americans saying so. You can expect to see options that cater to those wishes multiply, such as “alt caffeine” choices to old standbys like coffee and tea. Along with yerba mate, keep an eye out for more yaupon tea, a lower-caffeine alternative with a sweet flavor profile, which is derived from a species of holly native to the deep South. Mocktails and nonalcoholic cocktail options continue to take up more and more real estate on menus and grocery store shelves, and are especially popular among younger consumers. Perhaps a reaction to the early days of the pandemic (where alcoholic sales and consumption spiked), be prepared to see a growing wave of nonalcoholic options not just during Dry January and Sober October. While energy was the most sought-after food benefit for all adult population groups, according to the 2022 Food and Health Survey, “emotional/mental health” was among the top three sought out by Gen Z, with more members of the generation desiring […]

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Nutrition for the Trail

The air is warm and welcoming. Flowers are full of color.  It is spring! After a long, cold winter, it is time to get outside! One of the best ways to take in spring is to visit your local, state or national park for a hike through the woods. Whether you are planning a six-month gaunt on the Appalachian Trail or spending a day at the local park, it is important to pack lightweight foods and snacks that will keep you energized and full. You don’t want to be bogged down on your journey. Be sure to pack foods that are light, but don’t skimp on nutrition and energy. A few suggestions include: Most importantly, be sure to pack plenty of fluids or a water filtration system to keep hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink about three liters per day depending on level of physical activity and weather.  According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), healthy adults should be taking 2.7 liters of water for women, or 3.7 liters for men. You may need even more on an active day, especially if the weather is hot. With thousands of local, state, and national parks in the United States, a beautiful trail is closer than you think. Old man winter will be back before you know it, so pack your favorite nutritious snacks and get out there!  

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The Umami Factor: 4 Surprising Facts about MSG

I was having lunch with a friend last week and she told me she was avoiding MSG. When I asked her why, she mentioned that she had read about it on the Internet. That was a big red flag. Obviously, not all information on the web is accurate or science-based. I’m always trying to stay current with the latest science on food and nutrition topics, so I went home and looked for info on MSG from credible sources, like the FDA. That’s when I learned some surprising, and sometimes overlooked, facts about MSG. 1. The “G” in “MSG” is responsible for umami. Somewhat akin to the “sixth sense”, there is a “fifth taste” you may not even know you had: umami. In addition to sweet, sour, salty and bitter, this fifth basic taste is described as savory. Even if you have heard of umami, I wonder if you were aware that the taste is attributed to foods containing glutamate, an amino acid in food. Glutamate is found naturally in many foods such as tomatoes, walnuts, mushrooms and meat. It’s also present in many food ingredients such as soy sauce and MSG (monosodium glutamate).   2. MSG is naturally occurring. Besides being added to foods, MSG also occurs in nature. Tomatoes and cheeses contain naturally occurring MSG. With all that glutamate, it’s no wonder that classic grilled-cheese/tomato-soup combo is so savory. The MSG that is added to foods is produced by a natural fermentation process, similar to the processes used to make yogurt or vinegar. MSG (monosodium glutamate) has only two components: sodium (a mineral) and glutamate (an amino acid).   3. MSG provides more flavor, with less sodium. MSG contains only one-third the amount of sodium as table salt. Also, MSG amplifies and enhances the flavor of foods – whether […]

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Healthy Mother, Healthy Baby: Prenatal Nutrition 101

There may never be another time in your life where you receive a doctor’s order to consume 300 more calories per day! Your baby-to-be needs those extra calories. While pregnant, eating a healthy diet is crucial to making sure your baby is getting all the essential nutrients to develop properly. Before we get started, keep in mind that weight gain is a normal part of pregnancy. Not everyone will gain the same amount and that’s ok. Gaining the same amount of weight is not recommended for everyone—it depends on your starting BMI. Here’s a link to the Institute of Medicine’s guidelines. What does a healthy diet look like for a pregnant woman? Pregnancy is special time in life, so it makes sense that you have special nutritional needs. Here are a few tips to help deliver a healthful diet while pregnant: 1. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables remain an important source of vitamins and minerals during pregnancy. 2. Make at least half of your grains whole. Whole grains offer key vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Enriched grains should be included in your diet, too. These grains have been fortified with B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate) and iron, all of which are important for healthy growth and development. So important, in fact, that in 1998, the United States FDA required folic acid be added to enriched flour to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects. 3. Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy. For example, try switching to skim or 1% milk. This can help reduce your saturated fat intake. Milk products (e.g., milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy beverages) can be an excellent source of vitamin D and calcium necessary for your baby’s bone growth. 4. Make sure to get enough protein. Protein’s main roles are […]

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