Dive Brief:
- A new study based on U.S. government data showed nearly 50% of U.S. deaths from heart disease, strokes and diabetes could be caused by eating too much or not enough of 10 foods and nutrients, according to Food Manufacturing.
- Underconsumed "good" foods consisted of nuts and seeds, seafood rich in omega-3 fats including salmon and sardines, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
- Overconsumed "bad" foods include salt; processed meats like bacon, bologna and hot dogs; red meat like steaks and hamburgers; and sugary drinks.
Dive Insight:
The numbers from this study are certainly eye-opening.
Still, today’s consumers are much more health conscious than those even a decade ago, and advances in food science and technology made people more aware of the benefits and pitfalls of certain foods.
The increased awareness is working. According to the Food Marketing Intitute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2016 report, 66% of shoppers say they avoid unhealthy ingredients that have been linked to problematic health conditions, and 22% worry that the food they eat is not nutritious enough.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned against eating too much salt, which is a common added ingredient in processed foods. Citing the dangers of eating too much salt, FDA has issued proposed guidelines for food manufacturers and restaurants that aim to decrease average salt consumption from 3,400 mg a day to 2,300 mg a day.
In 2009, the National Salt Reduction Initiative challenged the food industry to meet a voluntary target to reduce the sodium in packaged and restaurant foods by 25% by 2014. Although it didn’t reach its intended target, it did see a decrease of nearly 6.8%, which was a good beginning.