There was once a time, not that long ago, when I believed eating a salad smothered in creamy dressing, croutons and strips of steak was well within the definition of healthy eating. Then I discovered it was possible for a salad to be more damaging to my waistline than a hamburger and changed my eating habits.
According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, a number of Americans are in need of a similar nutritional wake-up call. Results from the national poll show that the majority of the 1,234 adult respondents are trying to eat healthy but that a penchant for sugary drinks, failure to limit fats and sweets and misconceptions about vegetable and fruit intake may be sabotaging their efforts:
We found that Americans are making an effort to practice good nutrition and weight control, with 90 percent describing their diet as "somewhat," "very," or "extremely" healthy. But they have a tendency to give themselves more credit than they perhaps deserve. They drink more sweetened beverages than they should, for example, and sometimes undercut their own efforts at weight control by not limiting their intake of sweets and fats.
Overall, 58 percent of respondents said they ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But report noted they could be overestimating consumption in light of a findings from a Centers for Disease Control September 2010 report showing less than one-third of Americans manage to eat even two servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Previously: Campaign unsuccessful at getting people to eat their fruits and veggies and What are we eating?
Photo by ilovebutter
Via The Chart
