New research shows consumers are reaching for healthier foods rather than dieting. The NPD Group, a leading market research firm, reports that the percentage of adults on a diet has decreased 10 percentage points since 1990. However, the percentage of Americans trying to eating healthier during this period has increased.¹

The survey shows that more than 70 percent of Americans are consuming better-for-you foods at least once in a two-week period.

“The desire to lose weight really was a '90s trend,” said Harry Balzer, Vice President of the NPD Group. “Today consumers appear to be making healthier food choices.”

Food manufacturers are taking notice of the increased consumer demand for healthier foods and better-for-you products. In a recent Deloitte report, 73 percent of top executives at leading food and beverage businesses listed health and nutrition as the number one issue driving the industry.²

Nuts, minimally processed and long-recognized for their healthy attributes, easily fit into the better-for-you category. Adding nuts, such as hazelnuts, to food products allows manufacturers to increase the content of heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, fiber and antioxidants. Nuts also improve flavor and texture and have a variety of applications in food products such as healthy snack bars, salad dressings, sauces and whole grain baked goods.

Source:
¹ Fewer Americans Dieting But More Eating “Better for You” Foods, NPD Group, 2008
² Food and Beverage 2012: A taste of things to come, Deloitte, 2008

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