With regard to key nutrients such as dietary fat, progress in educating the public has been substantial. An overwhelming 71 percent said they have made changes regarding the fat in their diet, a marked increase over the 42 percent who reported making such changes in 1990. Two-thirds also know that fat is an essential dietary nutrient. Clearly, this message has gotten through to the American public, which is essential because it serves as the foundation of a lifetime of sound eating habits. Despite consumers' positive attitudes toward good nutrition, some misconceptions continue to prevail.
Consumers also are confused about the fat content of individual foods and the overall diet.
Some seven out of ten respondents believe that foods should contain 30 percent or less of calories from dietary fats, a similar response to the 1990 survey. Americans appear to be incorrectly applying the figure of 30 percent of calories to individual foods, rather than to the total diet. One of our goals is to help consumers understand how all foods can fit into their overall eating style. Twenty-two percent of those surveyed said they are more physically active now than they were five years ago, while 42 percent reported that their activity level is the same. Balancing energy intake with energy output is essential to maintaining weight and an overall healthy lifestyle.