Why Diets Fail

by Diane Lofshult

Food for Thought:

Sometimes health professionals pay so much attention to the science behind weight loss that they forget to ask consumers for their opinions. Thankfully, you have only to look for answers in this year’s Food and Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food, Nutrition, and Health, an annual poll conducted by the IFIC Foundation. This survey of 1,000 American adults gives the public an opportunity to voice opinions about dieting, physical activity and overall health. The goal of the report is to show health professionals the areas in which consumers need more education.

“Since the science concerning food, nutrition and health is continually evolving, there is an ongoing need to provide clarity,” according to Susan Borra, RD, IFIC Foundation president. “Our survey shows that there is an opportunity for all of us in the nutrition field to make diet information more understandable for consumers.”

The results of this year’s survey, which were published in the IFIC Foundation’s May/June 2007 issue of Food Insight, revealed the following:

39% of consumers felt their health was “excellent” or “very good”
66% had made recent improvements to their diet
56% are currently trying to lose weight
9 out of 10 Americans do not know how many calories
fewer than half (49%) eat breakfast each day
78% are trying to avoid trans fats in their diet
more than 50% are confused about how many and which
more than 50% do not currently buy functional foods, despite knowing that they have health benefits
48% are trying to limit their daily caffeine intake
only 23% of dieters use low-calorie sweeteners, despite knowing that the products are a weight loss tool

For a copy of the entire survey, visit the foundation’s website at www.ific.org/research/foodandhealthsurvey.cfm.