US consumers lack wholegrains, claims Uncle Ben's
despite growing dietary awareness, according to a new industry
study.
While 86 percent agree that eating whole grain foods is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, only 12 percent are eating the recommended two to three servings of whole grains a day.
Additionally, only one in ten say they are most likely to consume whole grains at dinner, citing lack of recipes, perceived cooking time and taste.
This has obviously created something of a gap in the market. And in the absence of definitive action from the FDA, it is largely up to food manufacturers to take the initiative to promote whole grains to the American public.
"This study suggests that consumers are in need of convenient, simple-to- prepare whole grain foods at dinner," said Bryan Crowley, vice president for marketing at rice giant Uncle Ben's.
The study was carried out by Harris Interactive to determine what is preventing Americans from incorporating whole grains into their diets and what solutions can increase consumption. It found that about half of American adults - 51 percent - say it is difficult for them to make meal choices that include whole grain foods.
A majority of consumers say they would be more likely to eat brown rice if they could buy a variety that was 100 percent natural or flavored and if they could cook it in 5 minutes or less or with no clean up.
Uncle Ben's has responded with the launch of two new whole grain brown rice products, announced at the recent Whole Grains Conference.
In conjunction with the consumer study, Uncle Ben's conducted a discussion group with nutritionists to further evaluate consumption barriers facing today's consumers. The study revealed that increasing whole grains consumption is of utmost importance to dietitians, second only to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.
Nutritionists recognize the barriers consumers face and are in agreement that convenience, lack of knowledge and ability to identify whole grains, are the biggest problems consumers face in meeting daily-recommended whole grain intake.
"What is distressing is that people don't know how to meet an important dietary goal and that they don't recognize the variety of whole grain options available, especially for consumption at dinner," said Joanne Slavin, expert consultant to the Dietary Guidelines Committee.
"Eating healthfully at each meal is an achievable goal and having options, like a wide-variety of brown rice products, make it easier for consumers to eat nutritious foods."
The web-based survey of 1,804 US adults aged over 18 was conducted for Uncle Ben's by Harris Interactive from 5 to 13 December 2005. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income and region were weighted where necessary to align with population proportions.
