EAT II Study
Two types of data were included for this study:
- a) Daily diaries of food and beverage consumption tracked by the MRCA’s Menu Census
- b) Nutrition and food attitude data from adults 19 years and older with the Nutrition and Food Attitude Inventory
47.4% of men and women agreed that all food in moderation provides a healthy diet, 26.2% do not know or do not have an opinion, and 25.4% disagree.
34.2% agree 32.7% neither agree nor disagree, and 32.0% disagree that “trying to eat healthy is too complicated and confusing.” 51.9% do not believe that adults should eliminate meat from their diet, while 24.8% believe they should and 22.5% do no know.
32.8% believe they can have a healthier diet by not eating meat, 31.4% disagree and 34.6% neither agree nor disagree.
The majority of adults recognize that there is a distinction between cholesterol and fat. “A cholesterol free product contains no fat.”
- False (55.8%)
- True (9.9%)
- Don’t Know (32.2%)
“Cutting down on fat is more important than reducing cholesterol.”
- Agree (33.0%)
- Disagree (26.1%)
- Neither Agree Nor Disagree (39.3%)
Respondents are confused about origin of cholesterol, as only 30% understood that it is only derived from animal products. “Cholesterol is only found in products of animal origin.”
- True (30.2%)
- False (38.8%)
- Don’t Know (29.0%)
Americans consume an average of 257 mg of cholesterol/day, of which meat and poultry products are the largest contributors. Meat provides 70%, or an average of 179 mg/day.
Men are more likely than women to be Non-Traders (one who does not allow for the trade-off of items in the diet) of both meat and lunch meat; women are more likely to practice all types of trade-offs.
Meat Traders are predominantly women on some type of diet; Non-Traders of meat are evenly split between young men and women who are not on a diet and live in larger households.
Meat Eaters comprised 95% of the survey population, Meat Avoiders (those who claim to never eat meat) make up 5% of the population and Vegetarians (those always report a vegetarian diet) make up 2% of the survey population. Behaviorally, less than 1% of survey respondents actually consumed no meat during the 2 week dietary journal period. Meat Eaters were even split by gender, but both Meat Avoiders and Vegetarians were primarily women.
Meat Avoiders and Vegetarians consumed 2.3 oz of meat/day. Meat Eaters consumed only 1.2 oz of meat/day more than Meat Avoiders and Vegetarians. Vegetarians consumed the greatest amount of eggs, beans and nuts.
In sum, the majority of Americans believe they are following the Food Guide Pyramid, although they actually consume excess fats/oils. Sweets, meat (although perceived to be over eaten), is actually within guidelines and fruits, vegetables, bread, and milk need to be increased.
Also, many are unsure if meat plays a positive role and if it can be a part of a healthy, well balanced diet. In reality, participant meat consumption falls within the Food Guide Pyramid, and therefore moderates meat’s contribution of calories, fat and cholesterol, while providing the nutritional benefits of meat (protein, iron, zinc, vitamins).
Americans believe that trade-off practices for meat are a way they can control fat and cholesterol in their diet, but in actuality, these trade-offs have limited impact on overall American diet. Both Meat Avoiders and Vegetarians believe they have healthier diets, but this study shows that they eat only slightly less meat than Meat Eaters, and that fats from other foods increase the fat intake levels of Vegetarians to that of Meat Eaters.