WASHINGTON – Americans are more likely to say they actively try to avoid including soda in their diet compared to more than a dozen other foods, according to the results of Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll. According to the poll, which was released earlier this month, at least six in 10 U.S. adults say they are trying to steer clear of soft drinks, regardless of whether they are diet or regular.

On the flip side, Americans are most likely to say they actively try to include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Americans appear to be aware of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, with at least nine in 10 saying they actively try to include each in their diet. At least three in four Americans also say they try to include chicken and fish in their diet, meats that nutrition experts often recommend to help with heart health, in lieu of beef and other red meat.

According to this year’s survey, there are only three types of food that 50% or more of Americans say they actively try to avoid: diet and regular soda and sugar. Historically, the annual poll has asked Americans generally about their intake of "soda or pop," but in this year's poll, Gallup specifically asked half of those surveyed about "diet soda or pop" and asked the other half about "regular soda or pop." It appears that Americans don't distinguish between the two, despite the higher sugar and calorie content in regular soda than in diet soda. The results were nearly identical, with 61% reporting they try to avoid regular soda and 62% diet soda.

Regardless of question wording, Americans' attitudes toward including soda in their diet are unchanged since last year, but there has been a significant change since 2002, when only 41% of Americans said they are trying to avoid soda. Likewise, the percentage of Americans who actively include soda in their diet has dropped since 2002, although not as drastically, from 36% to 22%.

Americans have also become more likely to report avoiding sugar, from 43% in 2002 to 50% in 2015. Americans' likelihood to either include or avoid fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish or red meat has been largely stable since 2002.