4beans4me
Mon, Dec-20-04, 10:20
New Year's Smarter Resolution: Skip The Diet, Strive For Balance
Monday December 20, 4:59 am ET New Survey Finds Better Food Choices, Increased Activity Surpass Weight Loss in 2005 Resolutions
PURCHASE, N.Y., Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Women are focusing on finding a balance between their food choices and their activity, rather than pledging themselves to diets in their New Year's resolutions.
A recent survey* sponsored by PepsiCo shows a change in how women are approaching New Year's resolutions. According to the survey, 62% of women said they planned to "strive for better balance" in their diet and fitness routines, and 65% pledged to provide a better balance of foods for their families, while only 55% simply wanted to "lose weight."
The past year has been full of news about diets, especially the low-carb phenomenon. However, evidence is mounting that consumers are shifting away from these fads. Sales of some low-carb products, for instance, have dropped 32% in the last six months according to Information Resources, Inc.
"This survey confirms something we've been hearing about for awhile now," said Nancy Green, Ph.D., vice president, PepsiCo nutrition technology. "Consumers are increasingly focused on long-term solutions to healthier lifestyles, and they are looking for information to help them find the right balance."
PepsiCo has helped lead the way with the introduction of the Smart Spot(TM) program. The Smart Spot logo is an easy way to identify more than 100 food and beverage choices from PepsiCo that contribute to healthier lifestyles. The Smart Spot symbol can be found on brands including Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay Baked! and Diet Pepsi.
PepsiCo's commitment to health and wellness goes beyond products to include support and sponsorship of programs and initiatives that promote physical activity and healthful eating. PepsiCo is the national presenting sponsor of America on the Move(TM), a national initiative dedicated to helping people make positive changes to improve health and quality of life.
Life Gets in the Way
The vast majority (81%) of the women surveyed said that providing a balanced diet for their families was very important to them, but cited a variety of reasons life can "get in the way" of their best intentions. Areas where help is needed include:
Taking health information they hear and applying it to their food choices. More than one-third (38%) knew that their intake of trans fats should be limited, but were not sure which foods contained them.
Starting your day right. Eating breakfast regularly was cited by 49% as something to strive for, but hard to work into their everyday schedules.
Striving for better snacking. Snacking poses a challenge. Almost half (44%) stated they don't have time to search for snack choices that can contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
The survey also found that women are looking for more information to help them choose the right foods and make their resolutions a reality. About half the women surveyed (48%) said they could use some guidance to learn more about the foods they buy. Deciphering nutrition labels on packaged foods is overwhelming. Forty-four percent of the women surveyed reported they do not read nutrition labels when grocery shopping, and they need easier ways to understand the nutritional content of the foods they buy.
Products with the Smart Spot designation meet nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Academy of Sciences. The Smart Spot symbol can be found on foods and beverages that: -- Meet limits for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar, or -- Are reformulated to reduce nutrients such as fat, sodium or sugar, or -- Are formulated to have specific health or wellness benefits.
Consumers can easily spot the bright green Smart Spot symbol in the front, lower-right corner of qualifying products. An explanation of why the product earned the Smart Spot designation is on the packaging. http://www.smartspot.com (http://www.smartspot.com/) offers comprehensive healthy lifestyle information as well as more information on the Smart Spot program and products.
PepsiCo is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies with annual revenues of $27 billion. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. Its portfolio includes 16 brands that each generates $1 billion or more in annual retail sales. * Survey was conducted with a sample size of 250 women with children across the U.S. from November 29-December 6, 2004, by Werlein and Associates. Sponsored by PepsiCo.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041220/nyfnsb01_1.html
Monday December 20, 4:59 am ET New Survey Finds Better Food Choices, Increased Activity Surpass Weight Loss in 2005 Resolutions
PURCHASE, N.Y., Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Women are focusing on finding a balance between their food choices and their activity, rather than pledging themselves to diets in their New Year's resolutions.
A recent survey* sponsored by PepsiCo shows a change in how women are approaching New Year's resolutions. According to the survey, 62% of women said they planned to "strive for better balance" in their diet and fitness routines, and 65% pledged to provide a better balance of foods for their families, while only 55% simply wanted to "lose weight."
The past year has been full of news about diets, especially the low-carb phenomenon. However, evidence is mounting that consumers are shifting away from these fads. Sales of some low-carb products, for instance, have dropped 32% in the last six months according to Information Resources, Inc.
"This survey confirms something we've been hearing about for awhile now," said Nancy Green, Ph.D., vice president, PepsiCo nutrition technology. "Consumers are increasingly focused on long-term solutions to healthier lifestyles, and they are looking for information to help them find the right balance."
PepsiCo has helped lead the way with the introduction of the Smart Spot(TM) program. The Smart Spot logo is an easy way to identify more than 100 food and beverage choices from PepsiCo that contribute to healthier lifestyles. The Smart Spot symbol can be found on brands including Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay Baked! and Diet Pepsi.
PepsiCo's commitment to health and wellness goes beyond products to include support and sponsorship of programs and initiatives that promote physical activity and healthful eating. PepsiCo is the national presenting sponsor of America on the Move(TM), a national initiative dedicated to helping people make positive changes to improve health and quality of life.
Life Gets in the Way
The vast majority (81%) of the women surveyed said that providing a balanced diet for their families was very important to them, but cited a variety of reasons life can "get in the way" of their best intentions. Areas where help is needed include:
Taking health information they hear and applying it to their food choices. More than one-third (38%) knew that their intake of trans fats should be limited, but were not sure which foods contained them.
Starting your day right. Eating breakfast regularly was cited by 49% as something to strive for, but hard to work into their everyday schedules.
Striving for better snacking. Snacking poses a challenge. Almost half (44%) stated they don't have time to search for snack choices that can contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
The survey also found that women are looking for more information to help them choose the right foods and make their resolutions a reality. About half the women surveyed (48%) said they could use some guidance to learn more about the foods they buy. Deciphering nutrition labels on packaged foods is overwhelming. Forty-four percent of the women surveyed reported they do not read nutrition labels when grocery shopping, and they need easier ways to understand the nutritional content of the foods they buy.
Products with the Smart Spot designation meet nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Academy of Sciences. The Smart Spot symbol can be found on foods and beverages that: -- Meet limits for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar, or -- Are reformulated to reduce nutrients such as fat, sodium or sugar, or -- Are formulated to have specific health or wellness benefits.
Consumers can easily spot the bright green Smart Spot symbol in the front, lower-right corner of qualifying products. An explanation of why the product earned the Smart Spot designation is on the packaging. http://www.smartspot.com (http://www.smartspot.com/) offers comprehensive healthy lifestyle information as well as more information on the Smart Spot program and products.
PepsiCo is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies with annual revenues of $27 billion. Its principal businesses include: Frito-Lay snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices and Quaker foods. Its portfolio includes 16 brands that each generates $1 billion or more in annual retail sales. * Survey was conducted with a sample size of 250 women with children across the U.S. from November 29-December 6, 2004, by Werlein and Associates. Sponsored by PepsiCo.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041220/nyfnsb01_1.html