What are the potential sources of learning about food and health?
The FMI study asked about general health concerns relating to motivation for self-care.
The top four concerns were:
1) managing or treating a specific health condition on your own;
2) reducing the risk of a specific health conditions;
3) following advice of a doctor;
4) avoiding artificial preservatives or additives.
The primary health concerns included problems with cholesterol, diabetes, heart diseases,
high blood pressure, weight loss. The quest for self-care is apparently being driven by
deteriorating confidence in the medical care system in the United States and by its active
promotion of self-care and health information. Consumers are more actively seeking
information about the relationship between the foods and they eat and their health. The
Nutrition Fact Label on foods is also being used by more consumers than ever, and foods are
being dropped or added to the shopping cart based on what is being learned from reading
labels. This proactive control of foods in the diet increases with income and education and is
greatest for those who are college educated and earn more than $50.000 a year. Types of
information sought by many consumers relate to the importance of fibre intake and benefits of
herbal products, protein, soy and reducing salt intake. The primary sources of information
being used are magazines, books and Internet.