According to a new survey conducted by food consultancy New Nutrition Business, Brazilians are among the people most likely to use food to support positive health and well-being; 42% of these consumers are interested in foods to support mental well-being, matched only by Spain. It was a very different picture in the UK, where only 13% of consumers reported looking to food for a mental uplift.
 
In a five-country survey of more than 3,000 people, Brazilian consumers also stood out as the most interested in eating to keep their skin healthy (36%). By contrast, just 10% of British consumers said they turned to food to support healthy skin.
 
The UK was the least health-active of the five countries surveyed, New Nutrition Business reported. Asked about their healthy eating endeavors, such as avoiding sugar, avoiding lactose, or trying to eat more healthy fats, 35% of UK respondents said they weren’t doing any of these things. By contrast, only 14% of Brazilians said they weren’t making any of these eating choices.
 
One of the most popular healthy eating behaviors among Brazilians was reducing their carbohydrate consumption – it was the country with the biggest increase between 2018 and 2020 in the number of people cutting carbs. Australia was in second place.
 
“Across the five countries, the percentage of people who claim to be reducing their carb consumption increased between 2018 and 2020 – from 25.4% to 29%,” Julian Mellentin, director of New Nutrition Business, said. “Change in beliefs about carbs is being driven in part by the low-carb/keto trend, which has fueled the association between limiting carbs and weight loss.”
 
Across all countries, fiber is the nutrient that can do no wrong, with 29% of people reporting that they choose foods high in fiber. Brazilians again scored the highest, with 42% of consumers looking for fiber in the foods they eat.
 
Globally, 41% of consumers look for information on healthy eating via the internet, with the second-favorite source being friends and family (32%). Far fewer consumers (19%) in the five countries asked their doctor or a nutritionist for information on diet and health.
 
More information on the survey, “From meatless meals to cutting carbs – a 5-country survey of consumer behavior in the pandemic year,” which was authored by Julian Mellentin, can be found online.