Is America Finally Getting It?

For the first time in six years, America’s eating habits are moving in a new direction. After gaining weight year after year since 1998, The NPD Group’s 18th Annual Eating Patterns in America report finds Americans lost weight in the last year and are eating healthier! The NPD Group tracks the Body Mass Index (BMI) of adults and has found that 55 percent of the population is overweight- that’s down from 56 percent last year. That number has never dropped; it has been increasing for the last six years. In 1998, the BMI of overweight adults was 50 percent.

“We are losing weight as a country; I’ve never seen that,” said Harry Balzer, vice president of The NPD Group. “Looks like we are focusing on health again, a return to the ‘80s. People are interested in a balanced diet; they ate more fruits and vegetables last year than the year before and snacked less in the evening,” said Balzer.

There is also a return to avoiding harmful substances. “People are more concerned about fat, cholesterol, sugar and additives in their diets than they have been. That’s new. That was hot in the ‘80s but has dropped off since then,” said Balzer.

Americans Are Thinking Healthier

It seems that throughout the ’90s, Americans wanted to lose 20 pounds, but they continued to gain weight. Now we are seeing Americans less interested in losing 20 pounds, and more interested in health. Thirty-five percent of the population says they carefully plan their meals to be nutritious; that’s up from 32 percent in 2001. Americans are also reporting they are exercising more. Sixty-six percent of the population tells NPD they are exercising strenuously at least once a week. That’s up from 63 percent in 2002.

Fifty-three percent of the population tells NPD they frequently check food labels in an effort to avoid harmful substances. That number is up from 51 percent last year. “People are more proactive about their health, checking food labels and avoiding fat. They have always had the will to lose weight; now we are finally seeing an impact in their behavior,” said Balzer.

This is NPD’s eighteenth year of reporting the latest trends in the way Americans are really feeding themselves. In all the years NPD has been doing this report, there have been more changes in last year’s eating trends than ever seen before. “Some long-term trends were halted and some were even reversed. The past couple of years have been unsettling times and Americans are unsettled in their eating habits,” says Balzer. “Maybe it’s that the healthful things that have been promoted over the years are finally having an impact. The question is which trends are the beginning of a new direction and which are short-term disruptions,” said Balzer.

Naturalist Households on the Rise

The NPD Group classifies households in five groups based on the household’s overall eating habits. As Americans gained weight, NPD tracked a decline in the “diet” oriented household segment and an increase in the “meat and potato” group. But during the last several years, NPD has watched as the “naturalist” households started to rise. “Naturalists” are classified as households that tend to eat healthier foods. They made up 16 percent of households in 2000 and jumped up to 21 percent in 2003. “Naturalists” tend to be found in all age groups, but they prefer natural cereals, home casseroles and baby carrots more than other households.

Eating Patterns in America-The Food Industry Bible

Eating Patterns in America (EPA) was just released to the leading food manufacturers and restaurant operators in America. It is the only study of its kind. It examines what consumers are eating, where they buy their food and beverages, who prepares meals, the most popular foods at each meal and what appliances are used. EPA takes an in-depth look at the restaurant industry, trends in diet and nutrition, and concerns about health and food safety. It also captures consumers’ attitudes and behaviors about food in home and away from home.

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