More than half of consumers in the United States often read the food label when buying a product for the first time. These consumers are also increasingly aware of the link between diet and heart disease.
Those are among the key findings that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released from its latest Health and Diet Survey, a snapshot of the nation's dietary habits.
Among the highlights of survey findings in regard to how diet affects health:
More U.S. consumers know of the relationship between diet and heart disease. Ninety-one percent knew of this link, an 8 percent jump from 2002. In addition, 62 percent of consumers mentioned fats as a factor related to heart disease, compared to 53 percent in 2002.
More than half (54 percent) of consumers said they read a product's label the first time they buy the product. That's a 10 percent increase from 2002