Washington, DC, Oct. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to new data from the International Food Information Council (IFIC), more Americans are following specific eating patterns than ever before (since IFIC began tracking in 2018), yet their assessments of their own health are moving in the opposite direction. The 2026 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus On Food & Nutrition finds that nearly two-thirds (64%) followed a specific eating pattern or diet in the past year, with healthy aging being reported as the top benefit Americans want from their food. Still, just 40% of Americans describe their health as excellent or very good — the lowest share since the trend began in 2012, and an eight-point drop from last year alone.  

“Americans are doing more of what food and nutrition experts have encouraged them to do: prioritizing protein, following eating patterns, thinking about the long game — and yet many still don’t see and feel the progress they’re hoping for,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN, President and CEO of IFIC. “That gap is worth paying attention to.”  

Dieting Is Now The Norm 

Following a diet is no longer the exception. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) tried at least one eating pattern in the past year, extending an upward climb that began in 2018. High protein leads as the top diet for the fourth straight year at 27%, up from 23% in 2025 and just 4% in 2018. In 2026, 70% of Americans say they actively try to include protein in their diet. Low-sugar (22%), mindful eating (21%) and clean eating (17%, up from 13%) round out the top tier of dietary patterns followed by Americans. 

Reported Health Status Is Slipping 

That effort isn’t translating into how people feel. One in five Americans (21%) now rate their health as fair or poor — an increase from 15% in 2025. Their view of the healthfulness of their own diets fell too: the average self-rating dropped nearly seven points in a year, to 56.4 out of 100, and one-third (33%) now score their diet below 50, compared with 22% last year.  

Cost & Convenience Shaping The Cart  

More than eight in ten Americans (84%) noticed a rise in food prices in the past year. In a first-time question, nearly half (46%) of Americans say food was affordable for their household in the past month, while 30% say it was not. That gap tracks with income: 57% of households earning $100,000 or more call food affordable, compared with 36% of those earning under $50,000. Food affordability also differs by how Americans rate their health: 62% of those who report excellent health and 57% who report very good health say food was affordable, compared with 43% who report good health, 30% fair health, and 13% poor health. 
Notably, for the first time in the Survey’s 21-year history, convenience (61%) overtook healthfulness (56%) as a purchase driver, trailing only taste (88%) and price (78%). 
“This year marks the first time in 21 years of tracking influences on American’s food-buying decisions that convenience has carried more weight than healthfulness,” said Kris Sollid, RD, IFIC Senior Director, Research & Consumer Insights. “We don’t read that as apathy toward healthfulness, but rather as a reflection of the practical tradeoffs people make amid limited time, tight budgets, and competing priorities.” 

Health Priorities Are Shifting  

After four years of energy leading the list, healthy aging is now the top benefit Americans seek from foods, beverages, and nutrients. Energy slipped four points to 36%, and interest in heart health (29%) and immune health (24%) also dipped from last year. Healthy aging leads decisively among Baby Boomers (53%), while weight loss or management tops the list for Gen X (43%) and Gen Z (35%). Millennials remain the energy generation, with 37% naming it the top benefit they seek.  

Since 2022, interest in weight management has grown seven points, alongside gains for gut health (+6), muscle health (+6), brain function (+5), and sleep (+4). Meanwhile, the share of Americans seeking no health benefits at all has fallen five points to 12%. It seems consumers are asking more from their food than ever. 

“Americans aren’t just asking how to feel good today—they want to stay well for decades. That’s a much higher bar,” said Monica Amburn, MS, RDN, LDN, IFIC Vice President, Food Safety & Nutrition. “The growing interest in gut, muscle, and brain health shows people are thinking about wellness beyond weight management.” 

“Taken together, the findings point to a widening gap between effort and outcome. Americans are trying harder and aiming higher,” said Reinhardt Kapsak. “To turn those good intentions into results they can see and feel, many Americans need dietary guidance that delivers realistic recommendations given today’s competing priorities.” 

View the full survey here.  

Interested in learning more about what consumers think about food and nutrition topics? Catch the conversation during the IFIC Expert Webinar: From Patterns To Priorities: How Consumers Approach Diets, Snacking & Nutrition, on Thursday, October 15 at 2pm ET. Each IFIC Expert Webinar is free and provides opportunities for audience questions.  

Register for the IFIC Expert Webinar here. 

Research Methodology 

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) commissioned an online survey among U.S. and Canadian consumers to measure knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about food, nutrition, health, and the role these factors play in food decisions. Three thousand five U.S. adults (n=3005) ages 18 to 80 years completed the online survey from March 22-April 8, 2026. One thousand six Canadian adults (n=1006) ages 18 to 80 years completed the online survey from March 27-April 8, 2026. Results from each country’s sample were weighted separately to reflect their national population demographics, using the 2025 Current Population Survey for the U.S. sample and the 2021 Statistics Canada Census for the Canadian sample. Specifically, results were weighted by age, education, gender, race/ethnicity, and region.  

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Jenny Phillips
International Food Information Council 
585-747-8717
phillips@ific.org

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