Evidence based 
Great news! McKinsey recently conducted a survey called “Future of Wellness Research,” where they asked people in the US what they think about wellness. It turns out that 6 critical aspects of wellness remained the same as in 2020, and one of the most important is nutrition. When we talk about nutrition, we’re referring to things like diet programs, subscription food services, nutrition apps, and juice cleanses. It’s pretty cool to see that people are still prioritizing nutrition when it comes to their overall well-being.[1].
Nutrition has always been an important part of maintaining good health, but Americans’ relationship with food changed with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. According to the International Food Information Council’s 2020 Food & Health Survey, as many as 85% of Americans have made some changes to the food they eat or how they prepare it due to the pandemic. Of those who made changes, 60% said they started cooking more at home. This is likely because people spend more time at home, and many have transitioned to remote work. Additionally, 27% of respondents said they think about food more frequently than usual. It’s clear that the pandemic has had a significant impact on how Americans view and approach their nutrition. [2].
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It’s interesting to note that in the past year, there has been an increase in the number of people following specific diets or eating regimens. According to research, 43% of people followed a particular diet in 2020, up from 38% in 2019. The top motivators for new diets are losing weight (47%), feeling better and having more energy (40%), improving the physical appearance (39%), protecting the long-term health and preventing future health concerns (37%), and preventing weight gain (36%) [2].
Weight loss is still the most important motivator for many Americans, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that people recognize the importance of nutrition in improving their long-term health. This is reflected in the growing number of people citing long-term health as a motivation for dietary changes.
Did you know that over 48 million households in the United States have at least one member who needs to control a health condition through their diet? This means that 60% of Americans are affected and that the annual grocery sales for these households total almost $270 billion, according to research published by the Food Industry Association (FMI) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation using Nielsen data. This highlights just how significant the impact of dietary restrictions can be on the food industry and the economy as a whole [3].
Over the past few years, the diets followed by Americans have shifted. In 2018, the International Food Information Council Foundation conducted its 13th annual Food and Health Survey, which found that the most popular diets among US consumers were intermittent fasting (10%), paleo diet (7%), low-carbohydrate diet (5%), Whole30 diet (5%), high-protein diet (4%), and ketogenic/high-fat diet (3%). These results show that there is a growing interest in alternative diets and eating patterns that deviate from traditional dietary guidelines. It will be interesting to see how this trend continues to evolve in the future [4].
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It’s worth noting that the distribution of diets followed by Americans has changed significantly since 2018. According to Statista, in 2022, the most popular diets among Americans are clean eating (16%), mindful eating (14%), calorie counting (13%), plant-based (12%), and intermittent fasting (10%). This suggests that there is a growing interest in diets that prioritize healthy and whole foods, as well as those that focus on mindfulness and balanced caloric intake. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, it’ll be interesting to see how these trends impact the food industry and dietary guidelines [5].
It’s interesting that Americans seem to be moving away from diets with severe restrictions, such as low-carbohydrate, Whole30, high-protein, and ketogenic/high-fat diets, similar to the Atkins and low-carb diets. Instead, there seems to be a growing focus on a more holistic approach to eating that prioritizes mindful and intuitive eating.
Notably, intermittent fasting remains at the top and has maintained a leading position among diets for many years. According to the Real Research survey results, 80.17% heard about Intermittent Fasting globally in 2022 [6].
Seeing the trend in Google search queries related to diets is interesting. According to Google Trends, in 2018, the search query “intermittent fasting” overtook the search query “diet” in terms of popularity. The sustained interest in intermittent fasting over the past 5 years could be due to its potential health benefits and its relative simplicity compared to other diets that involve more complicated meal plans and calorie counting [7].
Also, data from Google Trends indicate another trend – attention to nutrition issues shifts in the period to the beginning of the year. January is the peak of Americans’ interest in diets and fasting.
Returning to the topic of fasting, we see confirmation of the popularity of this topic based on social media data. There are nearly 5 million posts under the hashtag #intermittentfasting on Instagram [8].
The popularity of the hashtag #intermittentfasting on TikTok is remarkable, with approximately 1.8 billion views to date. Furthermore, the hashtag #intermittentfastingresults, which has 47.3 million views, shows that many TikTok users are not only interested in the concept of intermittent fasting but are also eager to share their personal experiences and results with others on the platform [9].
In 2020, YouGov conducted a study among Americans to evaluate the effectiveness of different diets. According to the results, nearly 9 in 10 people (87%) who tried intermittent fasting to lose weight reported it as a very effective (50%) or somewhat effective (37%) diet for weight loss [10]. Based on these data, we also see that intermittent fasting is one of the most effective diets, according to respondents.
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Also, in this YouGov study, the Americans noted one of the critical advantages of intermittent fasting – it’s also seen as more inexpensive (80%) than expensive (18%), according to people who have tried it [10]. This’s logical since this type of nutrition doesn’t require the purchase of expensive special products.
To sum up, in Real Research in 2022, we can see that 41.81% say it took ‘less than a week’ to feel significantly less hungry when starting intermittent fasting [6].
As for what Americans are interested in on intermittent fasting in 2023, according to Google trends in the USA, we see the rising popularity of the following searches: “how to intermittent fasting,” ‘best intermittent fasting,’ and “What is intermittent fasting.”
In addition, the search query “intermittent fasting app” is in the TOP 10 requests [11].
Therefore, the topic of intermittent fasting has not disappeared from the field of interest of Americans, they are still looking for information that will help them master this popular type of nutrition, and they are also looking for apps that will help them on their way to fix their nutrition. Try Lasta for your journey to get a healthy body.
So, Intermittent fasting continues to be a popular topic of interest among Americans who’re looking for effective ways to improve their nutrition. Many people seek information and resources to help them successfully adopt this approach to eating. If you’re looking for an app to support you on your journey toward better health, consider Lasta! It’s a great tool to help you achieve your goals and get on the path to a healthier body.
In conclusion, the landscape of American diets is shifting towards more holistic, mindful, and balanced approaches. Still, the popularity of intermittent fasting remains strong. This trend is supported by data from various sources, including Google Trends and social media, which highlight a high level of interest and engagement with intermittent fasting. The effectiveness of intermittent fasting, as reported by a majority of Americans who have tried it, further underscores its appeal. As more Americans take control of their health through their dietary choices, tools that support these efforts become essential.
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If you’re considering starting an intermittent fasting regimen or are already on this journey, the Lasta Fasting app can be your perfect companion. This app can provide you with the necessary guidance, track your progress, and help you stay motivated. So why wait? Start your healthier lifestyle with the Lasta Fasting app today!
Sources
1. McKinsey Future of Wellness Survey, April 2022, US: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/still-feeling-good-the-us-wellness-market-continues-to-boom
2. International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) 2020 Food & Health Survey, 2020, US: https://www.foodmanufacturing.com/consumer-trends/news/21136861/survey-85-of-americans-have-changed-what-they-eat-during-pandemic
3. Deloitte Fresh Food Consumer survey, 2022, US: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/future-of-fresh-food-sales/fresh-food-as-medicine-for-the-heartburn-of-high-prices.html
4. International Food Information Council Foundation’s 13th annual Food and Health Survey, 2018, US: https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/11838-ific-survey-36-of-americans-follow-a-specific-diet
5. Statista Distribution of diets followed by consumers in the United States, 2022, US: https://www.statista.com/statistics/993725/consumer-diet-share-us/
6. Real Research Popularity of Intermittent Fasting, 2022, Global: https://realresearcher.com/media/survey-results-on-the-popularity-of-intermittent-fasting/
7. Google Trends 2011-2023, US, Search requests “intermittent fasting” vs. “diet.”
8. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
9. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/
10. YouGov Americans say this popular diet is effective and inexpensive, January 2020, US: https://today.yougov.com/topics/consumer/articles-reports/2020/02/24/most-effective-diet-intermittent-fasting-poll
11. Google Trends 2023, US, Search requests “intermittent fasting.”
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My name is Barbara Kovalenko. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition from Bogomolets National Medical University in Ukraine and a Master's degree from Boston University in the United States. Over the past few years, I have gained valuable experience as a nutritionist and have since decided to share my knowledge and expertise with a wider audience. Currently, I am working as a nutritional consultant with the Lasta app.
