SCHAUMBURG, IL – Health and wellness is an increasingly relevant topic for Americans, with consumers listing “health” among their top five concerns for 2014 in a survey earlier this year. Yet, according to findings in a recent Nielsen/Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) Health and Wellness in America report, Americans literally want to have our cake and carrot juice — and eat them both, too.

According to the report, “Health and Wellness in America: The Consumer Perspective,” while 75% of those surveyed say they can manage health issues through proper nutrition, 91% admit to snacking all day on candy, ice cream and chips. So why is there a disconnect between what we know is healthy and what we actually do? What are the perceptions around “health foods” that prevent us from making better choices? And how can retailers help bridge the gap?

American consumers overwhelmingly aspire to lead healthy lives. For example, 89% say taking personal responsibility for one's health is the best way to stay healthy and 64% say they will take whatever means necessary to control their own health. However, when it comes down to putting those thoughts into action, only 70% say they're actually "actively trying to be healthier," 50% say it's a challenge to eat healthy, and 66% say they don’t exercise enough. Furthermore, the report shows that half of those surveyed say they “splurge” when dining out and yield to cravings, but at the same time, 54% say healthy foods are too expensive to eat regularly.

One key area where retailers can easily help consumers meet their health and wellness goals is in labeling. Today's consumers are confused by inconsistent and often unclear labels on products. From a global perspective, Nielsen research shows that six in 10 shoppers agree that they “mostly” understand nutritional information on food packaging, while 35% only grasp the nutrition data “in part” and 7% do not comprehend the information at all. However, the number of consumers checking labels has increased in the last eight years, and improved label clarity should lead to better in-store nutrition decisions.

This report is the first in a series of three reports from Nielsen/NMI, covering the health and wellness sector.

For more on the topic of nutrition and consumer misperceptions, David Freedman, writer for the Atlantic, Inc magazine and Scientific American, will address misperceptions of consumers around health and nutrition and related behavior changes as the NACS Show Opening General Session speaker this year at the NACS Show in Las Vegas. Read “A Healthy Misperception” in our July issue for a sneak peek at his presentation and register for the NACS Show today!