2020 IFIC Food & Health Survey

This year’s Food and Health Survey marks the 15th time the International Food Information Council (IFIC) has surveyed American consumers to understand their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors around food and food purchasing decisions. This year, the survey continues an examination of issues related to health and diet, food components, food production, and food safety. It also explores new topics, such as how food and health behaviors have changed in the past decade (2010-2020) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our eating habits.   Suggested citation for the 2020 Food & Health Survey: International Food Information Council. 2020 Food & Health Survey. 10 June 2020. https://ific.org/2020-food-and-health-survey/”

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2023 IFIC Food & Health Survey

The 2023 Food and Health Survey marks the 18th time the International Food Information Council (IFIC) has surveyed Americans to understand their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding food and food-purchasing decisions. This year’s survey continues an examination of issues related to personal health, nutrition, eating patterns, food production, and food safety. Among many highlights, this year’s survey findings include:   Suggested citation for the 2023 Food and Health Survey: International Food Information Council. 2023 Food & Health Survey. 23 May 2023. 

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Sweet Insights: International Food Information Council Releases New Research Examining Evolving Consumer Sentiment On Low- & No-Calorie Sweeteners

(Washington, D.C.) — As global health authorities have offered conflicting guidance on low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) in recent years, a new survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) reveals evolving American attitudes. The IFIC Spotlight Survey: American Perceptions of Sweeteners in Foods and Beverages, conducted in April 2024, highlights current preferences, awareness, and sentiments toward caloric and non-caloric sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and rare sugars such as allulose.  “This IFIC Spotlight Survey is unique as it serves to follow up on surveys we previously conducted in 2023 and 2021,” explains IFIC President & CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN. “Since we last surveyed Americans on sweeteners in April 2023, there have been significant updates to low- and no-calorie sweetener dietary guidance outside the U.S., potentially impacting American consumer attitudes and preferences.”  In May and July 2023, scientific evaluations of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) from three bodies within the World Health Organization (WHO) were released by the Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives.   “These reports received global media attention for their conflicting results and ensuing mixed messages,” Reinhardt Kapsak said. “Not only did we want to deepen our insights with this recent survey, but we wanted to see if these European evaluations moved the needle on American perceptions and behaviors, and if so, how.”   American Sweetener Shake-Up Or Consumer Sentiments Settled?   According to the IFIC survey, one-third of Americans (33%) reported changing their LNCS consumption habit between April 2023 and April 2024. While 10% said they increased LNCS consumption and 6% said they started consuming LNCS, 11% said they decreased LNCS consumption and 6% said they stopped consuming LNCS altogether. Another 34% reported making no changes to their LNCS consumption, and 30% reported not […]

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Spin the “Sphere of Food Safety” [INFOGRAPHIC]

Food safety starts on farms, barns, groves, ranches and science labs—basically, it begins where food productivity is established and monitored. The farmers, ranchers, agronomists, botanists, veterinarians, various other scientists and other food production specialists all work together to support the reliability of our food supply. These combined efforts are accompanied by our federal regulatory framework to consistently uphold safety and quality. Thank you, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)! Safety practices continue even once fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy resources and livestock begin their journey to be processed into food products that end up on your grocery shelves or in a restaurant kitchen. These establishments follow guidelines for operation set by the FDA and local health departments. And, once the food is in your hand/home, you, the consumer, should also adhere to safe food handling practices. Let our “Sphere of Safety” infographic clue you in on food safety facts from “gate to plate.”    Spin the “Sphere of Food Safety” from Food Insight

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What Are You Looking For from Food?

Think for a minute: What exactly are you hoping to get from the food you choose? Is food simply a foil to hunger, or are you more deliberate about the enjoyment, taste or nutrition of your meals? It can be a tricky question to answer—and your answer might change depending on the time of day, how hungry you are, your health goals and of course, your budget. But no matter what your circumstance, on some basic level we all tend to want the same thing: a delicious, (at least somewhat) nutritious meal or snack for a reasonable price. And if it’s convenient, then that’s even better. At least, that’s what our years of consumer research have shown. Taste and price are, and likely always will be, the top drivers of our food decisions. But for today, let’s put those two aside and focus on another major priority: health. When you think of how food relates to health, the first thing that may come to mind is body weight. It makes sense—food has calories, and the number of calories we eat impacts our body weight. Currently, about 70 percent of U.S. adults are reportedly overweight or obese, and 40 percent of people in our 2018 survey said they are interested in weight loss or weight maintenance benefits from the foods they eat. This is second only to cardiovascular health when it comes to benefits that people are seeking from their food choices. Our research also shows that, despite seeking health benefits from foods, many people tend to have difficulty making direct connections between specific foods and a health benefit. When it comes to foods and nutrients that might help with body weight and cardiovascular health, we see some similarities. For example, vegetables and protein lead the way for perceived benefits in […]

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Can Calorie-Dense Foods Also Be Healthy?

For so long, we’ve been taught that high-calorie means bad. But what if we told you that way of thinking was outdated, and more importantly, wrong? A food’s quality isn’t defined by a single characteristic. Rather, it’s the sum of all its parts—with calorie count being only one component. In fact, a slew of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients may accompany a calorie-dense food, meaning high-calorie can also be of high nutritional value. In this context, we’re not talking about calorie-dense foods like baked goods, chips or candy, which have less to offer nutritionally. Instead, we’ll focus on whole, minimally processed foods considered to contribute healthful components to our daily diets. Take nuts, seeds and full-fat dairy products, for example. Nuts, seeds and butters made from nuts and seeds are high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats that are associated with lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (otherwise known as LDL, or the “bad” kind of cholesterol). They’re also a source of protein, which makes us feel full after eating them—unlike other calorie-dense but nutrient-poor snacks like chips and cookies. Dairy products provide protein, calcium, vitamin D (if fortified) and potassium. Full-fat dairy has more fat than non-fat or low-fat options, which bumps up the calorie count but also enhances the richness of milk and yogurt. This can leave us feeling more satisfied than if we’d consumed something with less fat, making it easier to keep portions in check. Here are a few more calorie-dense foods that are also nutrient-dense: It’s important to be mindful when eating calorie-dense foods, since their calorie contributions can add up quickly. For example, one serving of nuts and seeds equals about a quarter of a cup, or about the size of the palm of your hand, and a serving of whole milk is one 8-ounce cup. […]

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What A Pediatrician Would Tell You About Arsenic, Rice, and Food Safety: Q&A with Dr. Claire Chehrazi

This week, FDA released their risk assessment on arsenic levels in rice products. Their main conclusion? “Consumers can certainly eat rice as part of a well-balanced diet.” They also share that based on their scientific assessment, they think it would be prudent for parents and caregivers to feed their infants a variety of fortified infant cereals and for pregnant women to vary their grains. We talked to Dr. Claire Chehrazi, pediatrician, to find out more about what this means for our food: FoodInsight: What is arsenic, and why would it be in food? Dr. Claire Chehrazi: Arsenic is a metal found in soil and water, both naturally and due to man-made sources. It’s found in small amounts in many plant-based foods because, during growth, plants naturally absorb trace amounts of arsenic from the soil and water. You may hear of two types of arsenic: inorganic and organic (unrelated to organic farming). Inorganic arsenic is the type of arsenic that, in large quantities, can cause adverse health problems. FI: Which foods contain arsenic? CC: All plant-based foods contain trace amounts of arsenic, including grains, such as rice, corn, and wheat, fruits and vegetables, as well as wine, and some juices. Rice has been shown to absorb more arsenic than other grains because it’s grown with large amounts of water.   FI: What are ‘trace levels?’ How much arsenic is in rice? CC: The term “trace levels” is used to indicate that very, very small amounts may be present when using highly sensitive detection methods. As an example, we measure arsenic in food in parts per billion.  The amount of arsenic in rice and rice products varies based on where the rice was grown, seasonal growing conditions, soil conditions and weather patterns, whether it is brown or white, and what kind of rice product it is. Generally, one serving […]

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Vitamin D and Calcium: A Winning Combo

You have probably heard that calcium plays a key role in keeping your bones strong. But did you know that in order to maximize your calcium absorption and function you also need vitamin D? Yup, it’s true! Most of the calcium you eat in food is in its inactive form and needs to be converted to an active form for calcium to actually do its “thang.” That’s where vitamin D comes in. Vitamin D helps convert calcium into its active form. While vitamin D is the most common name of this particular vitamin, it can also be listed as calcifediol, cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol, vitamin D2, and vitamin D3. Regardless if it’s ergocalciferol or calcifediol, it’s still vitamin D. Do these micronutrients have any other health benefits? In addition to playing key roles in bone health, vitamin D has been shown to support a healthy digestive system, as well as to promote basic metabolic functions in the body. Calcium also has other health benefits beyond supporting bone health. An important mineral for oral health, calcium promotes tooth and gum health. Additionally, calcium is key for proper nerve signaling and muscle function. How much calcium should I aim for, and what foods should I focus on? Foods rich in calcium can be found in vegetables such as broccoli and kale; fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, juices, and soy foods; and dairy foods such as cheese, milk, and yogurt. To help you better understand how much calcium you should be getting and how much of it is in certain foods, see the tables below. Calcium recommendations (based on age and/or lifestyle) mg/day Source: Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 2010. Infants 0 to 6 months 200 Infants 6 to 12 months 260 1 to 3 years old 700 4 to 8 […]

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