WASHINGTON -- The wealthiest of shoppers seem to be the ones most aware of the 5 a Day for Better Health program, according to a recently released study.
The study, conducted under the auspices of the Food Marketing Institute here and Prevention magazine, found that overall, 34% of Americans have heard of the 5 a Day program, which is administered by the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.
SN first reported on the study when preliminary results were announced at FMI's annual convention in May. The full report, released last month, offers more detail on shoppers' knowledge of produce and 5 a Day.
While a third of shoppers have heard of the program, only 24% understand its message about eating five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Breaking down the demographics, it appears that the more affluent have a clearer understanding of the 5 a Day message. Of those making more than $50,000 a year, 34% understand clearly what the program means. Of those making less than $50,000, only 19% understand what it means.
Slightly more than half -- 56% -- of those making more than $50,000 have never heard of the program, compared to 66% of those making less than $50,000.
Only about one in four consumers said they have seen any information about the 5 a Day program in their supermarkets. The study suggested that retailers could be doing more to educate shoppers. The study also found that shoppers tend to underestimate the amount of fruits and vegetables they should eat -- 21% said they only need one or two servings a day. African Americans and men tend to be least aware of the Five a Day message and how much produce they should eat. More than three-quarters of African-American shoppers underestimated the amount of produce they should eat, compared to 58% of whites.
Almost three-quarters of men didn't know how many servings they should eat daily, compared to 55% of women, the study found.
While making little mention of fruit, the study said shoppers generally come up short on vegetables. Sixty percent of shoppers eat only two vegetables daily, and 22% eat no more than one vegetable a day.
One-third of shoppers who eat two or fewer servings each day cited the perceived inconvenience of vegetables. One in five said they did not like the taste of vegetables. While almost all the respondents said fresh vegetables are more nutritious than canned, frozen and precut, only 25% said fresh vegetables are most convenient compared to canned, frozen or pre-cut.
On the plus side, about one-quarter of all shoppers said they have started eating more fruits and vegetables in the last three years.
