The new year brought increased consumer interest in food and nutrition resolutions

According to January’s Consumer Food Insights Report, food or nutrition-related New Year’s resolutions were more popular among consumers entering 2024 than last year. This year, 25% of consumers answered “yes” when asked if they had any diet or nutrition resolutions, an increase of 6 percentage points compared to the answer to the same question last year.

The survey-based report from Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, agricultural and food policy support, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the study, which included 1,200 U.S. consumers

“The top words that emerged in people’s resolutions showed that most consumers were focused on eating healthier, either by limiting intake of foods such as sugar or increasing intake of foods such as fruit and vegetables,” says the report’s lead author, Joseph Balagtas, professor of healthcare. in agricultural economics at Purdue and director of CFDAS.

Some results from the January survey were categorized by body mass index (BMI), using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s BMI Calculator for Adults.

“We see a slightly higher proportion of overweight consumers with resolutions, 29%, compared to non-overweight consumers with resolutions, 20%,” Balagtas said. Consumers cited improving health and weight loss as the top motivations behind their resolutions. However, weight loss was a primary motivator for 60% of overweight consumers, compared to 26% of non-overweight consumers.

To compile this month’s food and nutrition questions, the research team consulted Purdue’s Heather Eicher-Miller, professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences.

“As you might expect, the majority of consumers plan to increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables and water while limiting intake of salty snacks, sugary foods, regular soft drinks and alcohol,” Balagtas said.

Of consumers who planned to reduce their consumption of a particular food, 46% expected food cravings to be an obstacle. For those trying to eat more of a particular food, a majority expected cost to be a barrier.

“The research reveals a strong perception that healthy diets are more expensive than less healthy diets,” Balagtas noted. And while this perception is true for many of the poorest people around the world, that’s not necessarily the case here in the U.S. Measuring the cost of a diet actually turns out to be a bit complicated, and it’s something where we’re working on. But I think it’s possible for most of us in the U.S. to improve our diets in a cost-effective way.”

Using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s five-point scale, from “poor” to “excellent,” the Purdue researchers found that 84% of consumers rate their diet as “good,” “very good” or “excellent.”

Consumers who were aware of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services were more likely to report that their diets are healthy. The guidelines provide advice on what to drink and eat to ensure nutritional needs are met.

“Awareness of the guidelines is a good sign, but if we look at what Americans actually eat compared to the recommendations in the guidelines, the number on a scale of 100 would be a 58, or F+,” Eicher-Miller said. “So it seems like people have an optimistic view of their diet.”

In the “Food Spending” category, average weekly food spending in January was $124, an increase of 20% from January 2022. “It is no surprise that food spending is increasing given the high food inflation we have experienced over the same period,” noted Elijah up. Bryant, research analyst at CFDAS and co-author of the report.

Expectations and estimates for consumer inflation – unchanged from last month – remained slightly lower than last summer. However, the consumer price index for food inflation stood at 2.7% in January, significantly lower than last year.

And while food insecurity has hovered around 13% since September 2023, the percentage of households receiving free food fell to 12% in January from 15% in December.

“As food inflation declines, consumers may experience some relief in their wallets, reducing their reliance on free food to supplement their food purchases,” Bryant said.

The incidence of obesity is higher among consumers who are food insecure or participate in SNAP. “The income effect may explain this pattern, as the incidence of obesity is higher and diet quality lower among low-income consumers,” Bryant said. “Our research highlights the intertwined problems of food insecurity and nutrition, and the importance of research in identifying solutions to both.”

Most Americans are still considered “thriving” on the Dietary Wellness Index (63%). However, this average is lower than the averages of 2022 (70%) and 2023 (69%).

Overweight consumers report a slightly lower Dietary Wellbeing Index score compared to non-overweight consumers over the past 25 months, with 66% and 73% respectively considered ‘good’.

“It should be noted, however, that the majority of all consumers remain satisfied with their diet and lives,” Bryant said.

The January survey also asked consumers about their trust in food and nutrition-related information from organizations and professionals charged with protecting public health and the U.S. food system. These include primary care professionals, the Food and Drug Administration, the USDA, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Consumers rated their confidence higher in January than the 2022 and 2023 averages on the CFDAS confidence index.

The Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability is part of Purdue’s Next Moves in agriculture and food systems and uses innovative data analytics shared through easy-to-use platforms to improve the food system. In addition to the Consumer Food Insights Report, the center offers a portfolio of online dashboards.