2/3 of U.S. Adults consider themselves to be healthy eaters.

Despite nutritionally unhealthy temptations everywhere you turn, many adults are finding ways to eat healthy. A new survey by Harris Interactive reveals that almost two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults consider themselves healthy eaters and almost half (45%) say they follow some type of health-conscious diet. Furthermore, substantial numbers say they try to incorporate healthy foods into their daily meals and snacks. Many consumers also appear to be turning to the organic food sections in supermarkets for healthy options. The survey examines how often adults are consuming these types of foods and what they perceive to be their main benefits.

Below are some of the results of a recent Harris Interactive® study titled “Healthy Eating: Impact on the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry.” The study was conducted online from January 3 to 10, 2006 among 1,040 U.S. adults.

Who’s eating smart

While a majority of all adults consider themselves to be healthy eaters and many follow healthy diets, some groups are more likely than others to say or do these things.

Three-quarters (75%) of adults aged 55 and over consider themselves to be healthy eaters, while less than half (47%) of those aged 18 to 34 would say the same.

Adults with incomes over $75,000 are most likely to consider themselves to be healthy eaters (74%).

Adults with college experience (23% of those with some college experience and 28% of those with a college degree or more) are much more likely than those with a high school education or less (12%) to say their typical diet can best be described as a “balanced diet.”

Three square meals a day

Majorities of adults say they regularly try to consume healthy foods during breakfast (58%) and dinner (69%), but substantial numbers also make the effort to do so for lunches at home (39%) or at work or school (27%), and while dining out (24%) or snacking mid-morning (15%), in the afternoon (14%) and in the evening (17%).

The adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day seems to ring true for those aged 55 and older, as almost three-quarters (73%) say they try to consume healthy foods for breakfast on a regular basis. These adults are also most likely to try to consume healthy foods regularly for lunch at home (48%), while those aged 35 to 44 are most likely to do this during dinner (74%), when eating at a restaurant (35%), or when snacking no matter the time of day (mid-morning (19%), afternoon (20%) or evening (25%)).

Anne Aldrich, senior vice president of the Consumer Packaged Goods Research Practice at Harris Interactive comments, “Imagine a continuum with indulgent eating at one end and healthy eating at the other. Consumers with varied lifestyles, age and health conditions touch the continuum at different points throughout the day in different ways: some choose meals and snacks that may be very healthy, while others may not. Many consumer packaged goods companies recognize this continuum and try to provide products that serve their varying eating needs and preferences.”

The dirt on going organic

During the past decade, U.S. organic sales have grown 20 percent or more annually and according to the Harris Interactive survey, half (50%) of all U.S. adults say they sometimes buy organic foods. While many adults are opting to include organic foods in their meals and lifestyles, they are doing so for many different reasons. A majority cite health benefits, such as the fact that organic foods are free of pesticides and preservatives (40%) or that they are healthier than non-organic (16%), as their main reason for doing so. Smaller numbers cite things such as:

Organic food tastes better (8%).

I’m being more environmentally responsible by buying organic food (8%).

Organic foods are fresher (6%).

I’m acting more socially responsible by buying organic foods (4%).

Organic foods are better for my children (3%).

Organic foods are a better value (1%).

Again, demographic differences predominantly exist between ages.

Adults aged 35 and over (46%) are much more likely than those 18 to 34 (22%) to say the main reason they purchase organic foods is because they are void of pesticides and preservatives.
Thirteen percent of those aged 18 to 34 say they mainly buy organic foods because it makes them feel more environmentally responsible. In contrast, only three percent of adults aged 55 and over cite this as their main reason for buying organic goods.

Aldrich concludes, “Growth in the organic foods industry over the last decade is certainly impressive. While produce tends to be consumers’ main pathway into this category, many are now taking advantage of the wide selection of organic foods found in supermarkets and natural food stores. As this industry (which has traditionally been considered an alternative eating style) moves toward becoming more mainstream, there is considerable room for consumer package goods companies to educate consumers about the health benefits of organic foods.”

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For more information at http://www.harrisinteractive.com