Americans visit multiple stores to buy groceries
In the first test of detailed consumer-buying habits by categories at more than one chain store selling groceries, a team of business school researchers led by Washington University in St. Louis found that shoppers weren’t monogamist or bigamist but rather polygamist in their choice of outlets.
Adults aged 40+ who say they eat healthy foods most of the time are twice as likely to rate their brain health and mental sharpness as “excellent” or “very good” compared to adults who rarely eat a healthy diet (77% vs 39%), according to a new AARP consumer survey on brain health and nutrition. However, only 35% of adults surveyed reported eating nutritious and well-balanced meals “most of the time (5–7 days).” The 2017 AARP Brain Health and Nutrition Survey was fielded October 25–November 8, 2017, and included a nationally representative sample of 2,033 adults aged 40+.
The results showed that significantly more adults who ate the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables reported better brain health than those that did not. However, most adults are not getting the daily recommended servings in all five food groups. Moreover, one-third did not consume the recommended amount in any food group.
The survey found that nearly nine in 10 adults said they would be likely to eat healthier if they knew it would lower the risks of cognitive decline (87%), heart disease (88%), and diabetes (88%). Additionally, more than 60% of respondents said that they would eat more fish, less red meat, and lower their dairy fat intake if they knew it was good for their brain health.
“The most common reasons people gave for not eating healthier included that it was too difficult, too expensive, they weren’t a ‘healthy foods type’ of person, or their family wouldn’t like the taste,” said Sarah Lock, AARP senior vice president for policy, and executive director for the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH). “Half of adults said they would be more likely to change their diet if their doctor told them to do it but only 37% said their doctor has spoken to them about their diet.”