Around ***** million people in Germany were especially interested in healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle as of 2024, in a population of roughly ** million. Figures for this category did not change noticeably during the timeline shown on the graph. In fact, the distribution between the different answers to the corresponding survey remained similar. The Allensbach Market and Advertising Media Analysis (Allensbacher Markt- und Werbeträgeranalyse or AWA in German) determines attitudes, consumer habits and media usage of the population in Germany on a broad statistical basis. Food, drink and cigarettes Despite the availability of constantly expanding information on what consumers can do to stay healthy, everyone’s understanding of this still differs. Personal preferences and circumstances play a role in decision-making and motivation. While most people may indeed want to eat healthy and lead the accompanying lifestyle, they cannot always afford to, literally. Rising food prices in recent years have put a strain on households, with product categories across the board recording significant increases. In fact, to make an example of foods typically associated with healthy eating, vegetable prices increased by around **** percent, while fruit prices grew by roughly *** percent. All the same, a recent survey on health-conscious behavior revealed encouraging results. Around ** percent of respondents stated they did not smoke, and ** percent did not drink excessively. Making a move With movement and exercise being vital parts of leading a healthy lifestyle, it is interesting to see which types of sports Germans prefer. Based on a survey published in 2024, fitness studios had around **** million members and were in the lead. Other leading types of physical activity pursued included soccer, gymnastics and tennis. These are all activities that require additional spending, as they usually include going to a particular venue and using specific equipment, as well as working with a trainer. There are, of course, “free” types of exercise that contribute positively to leading a healthy life, such as walking and cycling. Both can be a regular part of daily routines and commutes, without extra planning. Especially when it comes to shorter distances, cycling to work, school or university is a popular alternative to using the car or public transport for many Germans.

According to a survey in Malaysia conducted in December 2018, 39 percent of male respondents and 38 percent of female respondents claimed that they ate healthy foods most of the time. Malaysia has one of the highest rates of obesity in Asia, and has recently introduced a sugar tax to combat obesity.

In 2023, the global functional and natural health food market was valued at 23.5 billion U.S. dollars and is projected to increase to 38.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2033.

Superfoods The term “superfoods” has been used to describe nutritionally dense foods, or foods that are especially high in essential nutrients. A few common examples of superfoods include salmon, kale, blueberries, and quinoa. Between 2016 and 2017, retail sales of quinoa grew by 15.6 percent in the United States, as its health benefits became more well known. Chia seeds, another popular superfood, saw a 14.7 percent increase in retail sales in that time period.

Healthy eating behavior in North America American consumers have tried a wide variety of different diet and lifestyle changes in order to improve their health, the most common of which involved increasing water intake, making small changes in one’s diet, and eating more fruits and vegetables. The top motivating factor for these eating habit changes was weight loss, followed by preventing future health conditions. When Canadian consumers were surveyed what they believed a healthy meal consisted of, more than half responded that more fruits and vegetables made a meal healthier.

In 2024, about 39 percent of respondents in the United States that the term "fresh" best defines healthy food to them. This was the most frequently chosen definition. The term "low in sugar" was the third most frequently chosen definition for healthy foods, with nearly 37 percent of respondents choosing this definition.

Healthy eating patterns in the U.S.

High-protein and mindful eating are the two most common eating patterns among U.S. consumers. These two eating patterns are followed by about 20 and 18 percent of surveyed consumers, respectively. Other popular eating patterns included intermittent fasting, calorie-counting, and clean eating. Among those consumers who follow a specific eating pattern or diet, more than 40 percent stated that their motivation is to protect their long-term health or to prevent future health conditions. Additionally, eating healthier is the most commonly made change by Americans who adjust their diet to try to manage or reduce stress, as stated by more than half of consumers who have tried to reduce their stress levels.

Sugar consumption in the U.S.

Excessive sugar consumption is one of the things that may prevent people from having a healthy diet. Over 11 million metric tons of sugar are consumed by Americans annually. The consumption of sugar in the U.S. has steadily increased during the last 14 years. The annual sugar consumption is now about a million metric tons higher than it was in 2010/11. Nonetheless, approximately two-thirds of American consumers state that they are trying to limit sugars in their diet. Moreover, about 11 percent of consumers state that they attempt to avoid sugar completely. Trying to improve the diet in general is the most common reason for limiting or avoiding sugars among U.S. consumers. Avoiding gaining weight, preventing a health condition, and losing weight are also among the top reasons.

This statistic shows the results of a survey in which U.S. parents were asked how they promote healthy eating habits in their children. The most common strategies include limiting junk food and limiting fast food, with 21 percent of parents employing each strategy to help their children maintain a healthy diet.

Almost **** of the Mexican consumers surveyed in a recent study said they eat healthy food ***** or **** times per week. Meanwhile, around ** percent of respondents ate healthily **** or ***** every seven days. Some of the most preferred healthy foods among Mexicans are salads and steamed vegetables.

A survey conducted in 2020 revealed that a combined 18 percent of the respondents aged between 18 and 24 years old in the United Kingdom (UK) agreed overall that a healthy diet was an important part of their life, compared to nine percent of the 65 year-olds or older respondents. Nearly a fifth of the respondents within the 55 to 64 years old category strongly disagreed with this statement.

This statistic shows the results of a survey in which U.S. parents were asked what challenges they face when promoting their children's healthy eating habits. According to the survey, 70 percent of parents stated that the high cost of healthy food was a challenge for them when trying to feed their children a healthy diet.

This statistic represents the projected compound annual growth rate of health and wellness food market segments from 2020 to 2027. For the period, the segment Naturally healthy food is expected to have a CAGR of 5.7 percent.

The share of American millennials that followed a specific eating pattern or diet increased by one percent since 2023. Almost two thirds of surveyed respondents in this age group stated that they followed an eating pattern or diet in the past year, in 2024.

Diets by age groups in the U.S.

Although many Americans follow diets, there are notable differences across the various age groups when it comes to following a diet. The general trend in the U.S. is that the proportion of consumers who follow a diet declines as age increases. Among those aged between 18 and 34, almost three-quarters of Americans follow a diet, compared to only 28 percent among those aged 65 and older. A similar pattern can be detected among those who follow a vegetarian diet. While the share of vegetarians among those under 40 is about seven percent, the share declines as the age groups increase. Among those older than 50, only two percent are vegetarians. This pattern is also evident among consumers who follow a gluten-free diet.

Motivations to follow a diet in the U.S. The top motivations for U.S. consumers to follow a specific diet are wanting to feel better and wanting to have more energy. Losing weight, trying to improve the physical appearance, and wanting to protect long-term health are also among the most common motivations. The leading reason to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet in the U.S. is animal welfare, as stated by about 43 percent of consumers who follow such diets. Wanting to reduce or limit one's environmental impact is also among the top reasons. In comparison, consumers who had never followed a vegetarian diet cite health benefits to be the most compelling reasons why they might consider becoming a vegetarian. Weight management was the second most frequently chosen reason.

In a survey carried out in August 2023, about ** percent of respondents in the United Kingdom stated that they were eating less healthily to save money. More concretely, about ** percent stated they were eating more ready meals and processed foods.

In 2023, a survey revealed that approximately ** percent of consumers aged 18 to 19 in the EU-27 reported making an effort to eat healthily. In contrast, older respondents demonstrated a greater tendency to prioritize healthy eating, with the percentage of those actively trying to maintain a healthy diet increasing with age. Diets in the EU According to a recent survey, flexitarian and low- or no-carb diets were the most popular in the EU in 2024. Around ** percent of surveyed consumers stated that they followed a flexitarian diet, which can be defined as eating mostly plant-based foods while occasionally allowing meat, fish, or other animal-based products. Just ***** percent of respondents stated that they adhered to a strictly vegan diet. Attitudes toward food and artificial flavor avoidance in the EU About ** percent of participants from the EU indicated that they actively work on eating healthily, while *** percent fewer respondents expressed that they find it challenging to afford nutritious food. That same year, around ** percent of EU-27 consumers aged 18 to 19 reported that they steer clear of artificial flavors and preservatives. This figure nearly ******* among respondents aged 60 to 64.

This statistic shows popularity of selected healthy eating habits among Italians who changed their lifestyle from sedentary to active in 2016. According to the study results, the vast majority of new sport enthusiasts (80 percent) incorporated fruit and vegetables into their daily diet. One in two limited their salt and sugar intake, while another popular habit was reducing the consumption of fat.

As of 2019, 61 percent of respondents of a survey in Argentina believe they have better eating habits than their parents. According to the survey, 59 percent of respondents declared searching for information on healthy eating, and 57 percent mentioned that they limit their salt and sugar consumption.

A survey of U.S. adults from 2024 found that around 60 percent of respondents reported the cost of healthy food as a barrier to a healthier diet. Other barriers to a healthier diet included stress eating/consoling oneself through eating and a lack of time to prepare healthy meals. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States who stated the following were barriers to eating a healthier diet as of 2024.

In 2024, around 68.3 percent of the people surveyed were particularly interested in information about healthy eating. Meanwhile, in the total population, this proportion was around 34.4 percent. LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability) comprises a group of people who are oriented towards health and sustainability in terms of their lifestyle and consumption style. The Allensbach Market and Advertising Media Analysis, or AWA for short, determines the attitudes, consumer habits and media use of the population in Germany on a broad statistical basis.

The majority of business people commuting to office tried to follow healthy eating habits for lunch at work, according to a survey conducted in Japan in 2024. ***************** was the leading healthy eating advice they followed, with almost 29 percent of respondents.

In 2021, approximately 40 percent of respondents in the United States stated that they think that the food they eat at or from a restaurant is less healthy as compared to food made at home. By contrast, in Brazil approximately 66 percent shared this view.

This statistic shows the share of consumers who believe healthy eating habits are important for a long and healthy life in the United States as of June 2016. During the survey, 72 percent of respondents said they thought healthy eating was very important when it comes to improving a person's chances of a long and healthy life.

This statistic illustrates the aspects of healthy eating people are most concerned with in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2015 and 2016. As shown on the graph, limiting sugar consumption, a daily intake of five portions of fruit and vegetables and healthy snacking experienced a percentage increase from January 2015 to January 2016. When grocery shopping, 42 percent of 25 to 34 year olds specifically look at sugar content before choosing which food and drinks to buy. Furthermore, 63 percent of consumers actively look for healthy products, while one in every five households has at least one family member on a diet.