MAY 2010

If you’re reading this, you’re not alone—Americans are thinking more about food and health and, in general, know more about nutrition and prevention of chronic disease. A newly released survey by the US Food and Drug Admini stration (FDA) reports that the percentage of people who say they read the nutrition label before buying a product for the first time increased from 44% in 2002 to 54% in 2008. Nearly half of the more than 2,500 adults surveyed said such label information had changed their decision to buy or use a product. On the other hand, 56% said they didn’t believe such front-of-package claims as “low fat” or “high fiber.”

The Health and Diet Survey, the FDA’s 10th since 1982, also found more Americans say they know about the links between diet and heart disease and about the heart-health benefits of omega-3s. The percentage of those aware that trans fats raise heart-disease risk almost doubled just since the 2004 survey. But produce vendors have some work to do: Awareness of the preventive benefits of fruits and vegetables against chronic disease actually dropped from 2004 to 2008.