According to the 2014 Food and Health Survey from the International Food Information Council Foundation, Washington, D.C., four in five consumers report they are trying either to lose weight (54 percent) or maintain their weight (25 percent). Topping the list of what they believe to be the most effective weight-management strategy is tracking and increasing the amount of time of physical activity at 27 percent, followed closely by eating smaller portions at 26 percent, and eating smaller and more frequent meals or snacks at 23 percent.
Aside from controlled snacking and the obvious need to exercise, other high-priority weight loss actions involve a range of food monitoring activities, according to David Sprinkle, research director of Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, Rockville, Md. “These include checking food labels to avoid high-fat products, high-sugar products and high-sodium products as well as limiting the use of processed foods,” he says.
According to Packaged Facts’ recently released report Weight Management: U.S. Consumer Mindsets, the eating habits of weight-conscious consumers have changed significantly in the past five years. A growing number of consumers who want to lose weight often eat several small meals a day. They also snack between these meals but usually only on healthy foods, according to Sprinkle. The percentage of those who seek to maintain their weight and who eat several small meals and usually only snack on healthy foods is growing even faster. The highest priority for those taking steps to lose weight is to get control of their snacking habits.
