Consumers Site Nutrition as Greatest Health Concern

Plants need to be "fed" just like people. Healthy soil produces healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables.

13/04/07 Four in five consumers are more concerned about health, nutrition, and fitness than they were a year ago, but nutrition has beat out fitness as consumers' top priority, according to a new survey of approximately 3,000 consumers by Phil Lempert, nationally renowned food industry expert and trend spotter.

"Shoppers care more than ever about the kinds of foods they buy and a growing number of consumers especially want to know where their foods came from and how they were raised or grown," said Lempert, who reports on consumer trends, food safety, and new products for NBC's Today Show.

The survey, which evaluated consumers' attitudes toward selecting foods, stated 95 percent of consumers are concerned about nutrition. As a result, Lempert suggests there is a growing trend toward fresh, minimally processed foods, which points toward greater interest in fruits and vegetables.

"Fresh fruits and vegetables offer the good nutrient sources consumers are looking for," Lempert said. "However, we have also seen a few reports recently that produce doesn't have the same level of nutrition that it did 40 or 50 years ago. The consumers surveyed easily recognized soil nutrients as the leading way to improve the nutrient content of foods."

According to the survey 84 percent of consumers recognize that the nutrient content of produce can vary based on production practices. Additionally, 70 percent noted soil nutrients as their preferred method for improving nutrient content.

Growing plants draw their nutrition from the soil. To ensure the healthiest, most nutrient dense produce, it is important that soils are replenished with key nutrients, especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These are naturally occurring elements that come from either organic or commercial sources. Plants need to be "fed" just like people. Healthy soil produces healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Interestingly, 55 percent of consumers said organic foods contained the best nutrient levels. However, conventional fruits and vegetables actually offer the same and sometimes enhanced nutrient profiles because it's easier to balance soil nutrition in conventional crops.

Lempert said Americans are hungry for health and food information and predicts our food obsession will continue to grow. In addition to nutrition and health, Lempert suggests convenience, technology and value will be key consumer drivers in 2007.