By Michael Hastings

Jun. 11, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Are Americans improving their health through better eating habits?

Well, yes and no, according to a recent survey by the International Food and Information Council Foundation.

The nonprofit council, and its educational foundation, receives support from the food, beverage and agricultural industries to help spread accurate information about food safety, nutrition and health.

The foundation's third annual Food & Health Survey polled 1,000 adults in February and March.

The survey revealed plenty of positive signs. About 39 percent of Americans said they consider their health to be very good or excellent, up from 33 percent two years ago. And 67 percent said they are working to make their diets healthier.

But the survey also showed some clear gaps or contradictions. In other words, survey respondents often identified healthy choices, but then didn't make those choices.

Seven diet curiosities

The foundation identified seven "diet disconnects":

--On food safety, 76 percent said they cooked food to the proper temperature. But only 29 percent said they use a thermometer to check the temperature of meat and poultry. The study, unfortunately, did not deal with other signs of doneness, such as sight and feel. The poll's creators apparently think a thermometer is the best way to judge doneness. It also found that only 48 percent used separate cutting boards for raw meats to prevent bacteria from contaminating other foods.

--Of those who said they were trying to eat healthier food, 69 percent cited losing weight as the reason. Since losing weight requires consuming fewer calories (or burning more through exercise), the foundation saw another disconnection. Only 15 percent could accurately state the number of calories they should consume each day. In other words, it's tough to lose weight if you don't have a sense of how many calories you're consuming. More troubling is that only 31 percent know that calories, from any source, can cause weight gain. A larger number, 33 percent, think you can gain weight only from calories that come from fat.

--Though 70 percent reported doing physical activity to lose or maintain weight, 44 percent don't "balance diet and physical activity." That means they aren't using the one-two punch of successful dieting -- eat less and move more.

--An impressive 92 percent cited breakfast as an "extremely important" meal, but only 46 percent eat breakfast each day. Interestingly, most in the latter group know that breakfast can help increase physical energy, mental focus and help maintain a healthy weight.

--Americans are still concerned about fat in their diet. On the positive side, 90 percent or more said they are aware of trans fats and saturated fats. But more than 60 percent did not know that unsaturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are found in olive oil and other vegetable oils actually can be good for you (even though they are just as high in calories as other fats). Of those who had heard of unsaturated fats, 82 percent could not name any foods that contain them.

--On the plus side, Americans are trying to eat more whole-grain carbohydrates, which offer more nutrients than refined starches, such as white rice and white bread. But more than 50 percent are worried about consuming too many carbs. They are probably worried about carbs because they continue to eat the "bad" refined carbs instead of the healthy whole-grain ones.

--Almost 80 percent said they knew that specific foods or beverages offer benefits beyond basic nutrition, such as the antioxidants in blueberries to slow aging and help with other problems. Yet, despite an interest in these "superfoods" or drinks, about 50 percent said they don't consume them.

Some of these results may be explained by another response: 45 percent said they find health information "confusing and conflicting."

I'm not sure how to explain the disconnections. Laziness? Lack of willpower? Busy, stressful lifestyles?

Whatever the reasons, the council has more work to do.

Michael Hastings, the Journal's Food editor, can be contacted by phone at 727-7394, e-mail at mhastings@wsjournal.com, or mail at c/o Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Recent columns can be read on www.journalnow.com.

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