Nielsen and NMI explore disconnect between Americans' health aspirations and behavior

CHICAGO — Americans aspire to be healthier by making better food choices, but admit that the saying is a lot easier than the doing, according to a new white paper titled "Health and Wellness in America" released by Nielsen and the Natural Marketing Institute last week.

 

According to the research, 89% of Americans report that taking responsiblity for one's health is the best way to stay healthy, but only 70% are actually "actually trying to be healthier." Similarly, 3-in-4 Americans said they feel they can manage health issues through nutrition, but half find it to be a challenge to actually eat healthy. 

 

The perception that healthier eating is more expensive and doesn't taste as good are some of the reasons behind the disconnect, accoring to the study. As many as 54% of consumers reported healthy foods were too expensive to eat regularly and 50% said they were not willing to give up taste for health.

 

Manufacturers and retailers can help close the gap between aspiration and behavior by focusing on introducting easy and convenient solutions and exploring specific health issues to aid in the consumer purchase decision process, Nielsen and NMI noted.