Medifast, Inc., parent company of OPTAVIA, conducted a survey of 1,426 U.S. adults to uncover the trends and nutritional priorities and challenges people are facing as the country reaches the one-year mark of pandemic life.
The study found that 84% of adults are prioritizing healthy eating as much or more than last year and 89% reported that nutrition is important to them. Even so, 56% of respondents said eating healthy is difficult and 53% said that being home more because of the pandemic has enabled them to eat and snack poorly.
“Over the past year, the majority of Americans have come to recognize the importance of proper nutrition to their overall health, though many still struggle with where to start or how to stay consistent,” said Dan Chard, Medifast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Oftentimes, support is the missing link–it’s why our model puts independent OPTAVIA Coaches at the center of everything we do. We believe the recent momentum behind our coach growth can be attributed to people seeking support to help them not only eat healthier but create healthy habits in all areas of their lives.”
The study also found that the main factors that help U.S. adults make healthy food choices are setting realistic goals (47%), experimenting with new and simple recipes (39%) and meal prepping (38%).
