US consumers' perceptions of the importance of following the US dietary guidelines

This study examines the factors affecting perceptions by US consumers about the importance of following each type of healthy diet recommendation based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results generally suggest that individuals from the Northeast and non-metropolitan areas, males, less educated, not on a special diet, and those who have a lower perception of the overall importance of nutrition when food shopping are generally less likely than their counterparts to perceive individual diet recommendations as important. Income, age, and body mass index also are significant factors for some individual healthy diet recommendations. Understanding consumers' perceptions about the importance of choosing healthy diets is an important preliminary step in changing dietary behavior and nutrition policies. Given worldwide trends toward Westernized diets and resulting increases in related health problems, the findings of this study may have relevance not only in the US but also globally.