title: Overcoming consumer inertia to dietary guidance.
abstract: Despite 35 y of dietary guidance, there has been no substantial shift in consumer compliance. Consumers report that they seek information on nutrition and healthy eating, but most are not paying attention to dietary recommendations. For guidance to be effective, it must be realistic. Even with increasingly detailed nutrition information and evidence that diet affects health outcomes, convenience and taste remain the strongest determinants of food choices. It is up to health educators to clear up confusion and give consumers control with nutrition messages that are realistic, positive, easy to understand, and actionable without an expectation that consumers will surrender foods they love.
authors.affiliation: Health and Nutrition Communications, Austin, TX; and bredbenner@aesop.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Densie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Byrd-Bredbenner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D057140:Fast Foods; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005502:Food; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D008019:Life Style; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013649:Taste
keywords: consumer; dietary guidelines; health behavior; health information; nutrition policy