According to an IFIC survey, fewer Americans are trying to cut back on sugar.
WASHINGTON According to the recently released 2020 Food & Health Survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC), consumers’ preferences for sugars versus low- and no-calorie sweeteners versus using neither have changed, and fewer Americans were attempting to limit or avoid sugars in their diet in 2020 than in 2019.
74% of consumers attempted to restrict or stay away from sugars, compared to 80% in the 2019 poll, according to the survey. Of them, about 60% were trying to cut back on calories by drinking water instead of caloric drinks, and slightly more than 40% were restricting certain foods and drinks from their diets. A little over 20% of people chose low- or no-calorie beverages in place of full-calorie beverages, while around 30% chose items with lower sugar content.
Thirty-four percent of respondents stated that cutting back on sugar and losing weight were their top two reasons for using low- and no-calorie sweeteners, which is the same as last year.
The primary motivation for abstaining from sugar use was to cut calories, with “I think sugar is unhealthy” coming in second most frequently.
The main explanation given by those who disliked low- and no-calorie sweeteners was that they liked the way sugar tasted better. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they believed low- and no-calorie sweeteners were unhealthy, a decrease from seventy-seven percent the previous year.
Additionally, the survey revealed that 40% of consumers thought information labels on total and added sugars were equally relevant, with a higher percentage of respondents saying they were more inclined to think about total sugars than added sugars.
In the At the same time, compared to naturally occurring sugars, more consumers believed that added sugars significantly affected their health. Compared to 62% of consumers without a college degree, 71% of consumers with a college degree stated that the quantity of added sugars ingested had an effect on health.
Health implications of added sugars chart
Apart from sugars and sweeteners, the survey inquired about the opinions of the public regarding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, eating habits and diets, nutrients and intended health advantages, food manufacturing, food safety, coffee intake, and, for the first time, the effects of the coronavirus. Due to COVID-19, over 80% of respondents claimed to have changed their eating habits; most of them increased the amount of food they prepared at home.
Taste stayed the same principal factor in purchasing decisions, as it has been for the previous ten years, with a little increase during the last two years. The second important factor was price. Though it came in lower on the list of factors influencing purchases than flavour, price, healthfulness, and convenience, environmental sustainability had the biggest growth from 2019. From 2019, convenience became less of a motivating element.
The sources of weight increase were viewed as having little altered from 2019, with fats receiving 16%, proteins 4%, sugars, carbs, and “all sources same” obtaining 24%, and “not sure” receiving 8%.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans were considerably more recognised and well-known in 2010 (41% compared to 23% a decade earlier), yet there were notable variations in health and educational attainment. Of those who indicated they were in very good or excellent health, 49% said Compared to only 29% of individuals with worse health, they knew a fair amount or a great deal about the criteria. Compared to 37% of customers without a college degree, 47% of consumers with a college degree stated they knew a fair amount or a lot about the standards. In 2010 compared to 2020, around 30% of respondents indicated they had never heard of the dietary guidelines.
Weighted by area, age, education, gender, and race/ethnicity, Greenwald & Associates conducted an online survey of 1,011 Americans aged 18 to 80 from April 8–16, right before the COVID-19 shelter-at-home period began. 30% of the respondents were between the ages of 18 and 34, 25% were between the ages of 35 and 49 and 50 and 64, and in the range of 65 to 80. This was IFIC’s fifteenth survey.