UPDATE: Last week I asked some questions from a poll regarding nutrition from the May/June Hippocrates magazine. This week I'll summarize the rest of these questions.
Question 5. What is the principal reason you can't seem to make changes to a healthier diet?a. I don't think the food will taste as good
b. I guess it's really not that important to me
c. I don't have the time
d. I don't know how
Most people (27 percent) thought that meals that are good for us must be dull and flavorless. Twenty-two percent chose answer b, and 20 percent just didn't have the time for these changes.
Question 6. Which statement best describes your willingness to give up certain foods for possible long-term benefits?
1. I'm willing to eat half as much meat and give up whole milk dairy products.
b. I'm willing to give up potato chips and other junk foods.
c. I'm willing to give up cheesecake and other rich desserts.
To get rid of some fat, Americans would much rather cut back on simple staples than give up rich desserts. However, about two-thirds of all respondents would make the changes described in a and b. Only 16 percent would be willing to cut out desserts.
Question 7. Which statement best describes your use of vitamin and mineral supplements?
a. I'm not sure I get all the nutrients I need, so I eat a variety of foods, but don't take supplements.
b. I'm not sure I get all the nutrients I need, so I take supplements daily.
c. I feel I'm deficient in some nutrients, so take specific vitamins and minerals.
Thirty percent chose b, and 34 percent chose a. Only 13 percent take a specific vitamin or mineral supplement.
Question 8. If you were offered a choice between ordinary supermarket produce and produce tested to show that it contains no pesticide residue, which statement best describes what you would buy?
a. The tested produce, even if it costs a few cents more per pound.
b. The tested produce, even if it cost twice as much.
c. Whichever produce looks better, as long as it is the same price.
More than half the respondents would pay "a few cents more a pound." Twenty-five percent would pay twice as much. Those who actually do the shopping were much more likely to look for the tested produce than the non-shoppers.
Question 9. Which term comes closest to characterizing the type of food you typically eat for your day's main meal?
a. Meat and potatoes
b. Chicken and broccoli
c. Brown rice and vegetables
d. Pasta and salad
e. Burger and fries
f. Pizza and soda
Interestingly, chicken and broccoli were almost the same as meat and potatoes (35 percent), with answers c and d about 10 percent each in the population tested. Men were more likely than women to be "meat and potatoes" (40 percent to 27 percent) and the health conscious of both sexes tended to choose chicken and broccoli as the typical term.