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Perspectives
for Future Actions
Sylvia Rowe
International Food Information Council and
IFIC Foundation
Thank you very much. It is a real honor to be introduced
by Paul Coates and a real honor to be joining all of you here this
morning, especially following such distinguished presenters as we
have heard earlier today.
We are going to be looking at the Agenda for Action
from the perspective of a commitment to consumers, based on the
mission of the International Food Information Council (IFIC) and
the IFIC Foundation, which are primarily supported by the food,
beverage, and agricultural industries.
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Mission: To communicate science-based
information on food safety and nutrition issues to health professionals,
media, educators, and government officials. |
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IFIC's mission, which puts us right in the middle
of the confusion and the noise and all of the clutter about diet,
health, nutrition, and food safety issues, has made one thing very
clear to us. We firmly believe that we are at a pivotal point, and
it is time for a new conversation with consumers.
First, a reality check. For all of us here, how do
we think consumers will respond when told that over 2,000 experts
are meeting in Washington, D.C., to determine how to improve their
nutrition? Will they say:
(A) There they go again;
(B) Please keep them in Washington; or
(C) What is for dinner?
Where are consumers today? Basically, we know from
the Food Marketing Institute's Trends 2000 survey that there is
a steady decline in shoppers concerned about nutrition.
In fact, between 1992 and 2000 those very concerned
about nutrition decreased from 64 percent to 46 percent. More people
are saying they eat whatever they want whenever they want. So, what
does that mean?
Well, the same picture is painted by 1998 data from
the NPD group.
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These data show that people actually say that their
good nutrition behaviors declined throughout the decade of the 1990s.
For example, those who always watch calories in their meals declined
from 39 percent to 26 percent. However, there are significant socioeconomic
differences with the highest income groups showing the highest concerns
about nutrition, again according to the FMI Trends 2000 survey.
According to the American Dietetic Association's Nutrition
Trends Survey 2000, consumer awareness of the importance of both
eating a healthy diet and being physically active is at an all time
high—85 percent for both.
- Eighty-five percent of consumers say that diet
and nutrition are important to them personally, and 85 percent
of consumers say that exercise and physical activity are important
to them.
This dichotomy between nutrition knowledge and action
must be put into the overall context of consumers' lives today.
You heard from the earlier reports that we live in a complex environment.
Consumers are more concerned with issues, particularly social issues
like crime, morals, and family, according to the FMI Trends 2000
survey. We are fighting for consumer attention in an increasingly
complex world of information.
The current paradox is the gap between knowledge and
behavior. Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than with nutrition
and physical activity.
How do we explain the paradox? Perhaps consumers are
deluged with conflicting advice. Perhaps they are confused over
which diet is the right one. Perhaps they believe that their diet
is already healthy enough, or perhaps they are tuning us out.
Let's look at a few reactions from U.S. Department
of Agriculture's (USDA's) Dietary Guidelines consumer focus groups
conducted in December of last year.
- "Read it once and chuck it."
- "I would not use it."
- "I would not use this booklet. I eat what I want
when I want."
(Source: Draft report of the Pre-Testing Focus Groups, USDA's
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, December 1999)
Although these comments may not reflect a majority
of consumers, the real question is how many consumers are we currently
reaching with dietary guidance. Are we losing consumers? Are they
turning to less reliable or scientific sources of information than
those of us assembled here today?
Just consider the data on fad diet books on the USA
Today Best Seller List for 1999. Ten of the top 100 best selling
books last year were diet related. Some examples include the following:
#2: Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
#14: Protein Power
#19: Carbohydrate Addict's Lifespan Program
#20: Sugar Busters
#22: Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter
#36: Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny
Another fact about these fad diets, Dr. Atkins'
New Diet Revolution was on the New York Times Best Seller List
for 189 weeks. That is over 3 years. Moreover, yesterday you heard
Secretary Glickman say that last year cameras were plentiful in
the room when the fad diet debate went on within the USDA.
In contrast to the popularity of these diets, in 1999,
USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion focus groups with
consumers and health professionals found the vast majority of respondents,
including health professionals, had not heard of the Dietary Guidelines
for Americans.
While we may be moving forward, we may need to look
back to 1969 to see the future. We should review the landmark White
House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health in December 1969
with its 5,000 attendees. This landmark conference continues to
be relevant and instructive today in the issues it addressed:
- Issues of hunger and malnutrition (so eloquently
remembered by ex-Senators McGovern and Dole)
- Concern over obesity and lack of physical activity
- Nutritional needs across all population groups
- Need for effective nutrition education
At the 1969 White House Conference, President Richard
Nixon set the stage with these words.
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"… the beginning of a national commitment
to put an end to malnutrition and hunger among the poor; to
make better use of our agricultural bounty and nutritional knowledge;
and to insure a healthful diet for all Americans."
[Statement of President Richard M.
Nixon, June 11, 1969] |
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In the final report of the White House Conference,
the focus was on the consumer:
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"The primary focus of the national
policy should be upon the consumer, the ordinary citizen, and
the availability of the necessary information and resources
to attain good nutrition."
[Appendix A: Panel IV-2, Final Report
of the 1969 White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health] |
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The recommendations did an excellent job on how to
get information to the consumer. What was missing, and what we now
know we need to address, is the paradox of knowledge versus behavior.
How do we motivate consumers to move advice into action?
Let's look to another key quote, a pearl of wisdom
from Richard Nixon at the opening of the conference:
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"The task of government is not to
make decisions for you or for anyone. The task of government
is to enable you to make decisions for yourself. Not to see
the truth of that statement is fundamentally to mistake the
genius of democracy."
[President Richard M. Nixon, December
2, 1969, at the opening plenary session of the White House Conference
on Food, Nutrition, and Health] |
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Clearly, Nixon's emphasis involved the consumer—and
enabled choice.
Another pearl of wisdom that has been steadily growing
in recognition and prominence—the need to make healthful food
appealing—was also reported from that 1969 conference:
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"The attractiveness of foods—their
flavor, texture, order, and appearance—is nutritionally
important since foods are nutritious only when they are consumed.
Consumer acceptance of food is thus vital to their nutritional
value."
[Report of Panel III-1: White House
Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health, 1969] |
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The lessons of the 1969 conference have reverberated
in nutrition discussions and recommendations for the past 30 years.
For example, an excerpt from a USDA-DHHS article published in the
Journal of The American Dietetic Association on promoting
healthy lifestyles highlighted the importance of several factors,
including the following:
- Focus on behavior change.
- Segment and target audiences.
- Use multiple interactive channels.
- Tailor and refine consumer messages.
It was very exciting when we heard Secretary Glickman
announce the kickoff of a behavioral research initiative by the
USDA's Agricultural Research Service. This should really address
that very critical element of behavior change.
What is a consumer orientation? According to a 1996
article in Family Economics and Nutrition Review, consumer
orientation involves the following:
- Understanding from the consumer's point of view.
- Knowing what consumers believe, value, need, and
do.
- Speaking in a language that is relevant and compelling
to consumers.
- Building and leveraging consumer benefits (taste,
convenience, fun, culture).
- Enhancing consumer choice.
In other words, it is all of us trying to put ourselves
into the consumer's perspective.
This raises a critical question addressed by the
Food and Nutrition Board and the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committees
in both 1995 and 1999. Can policy and communication needs be successfully
addressed by a single document like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
In my opinion, science policy and consumer communications are not
synonymous. Are there unique considerations in developing consumer-based
approaches even when based on the same science?
Well, what do we mean by a consumer orientation? What
are the factors that consumers identify as most important for them
in food selection? This means
- Listen, listen, and listen again.
- Enhance choice in
- Taste
- Nutrition
- Convenience
- Value
- Food safety
All of these are characteristics that were identified
as critical to consumers in the FMI Trends 2000 survey.
However, looking at food and nutrition is only half
of the equation. Of equal importance in reaching a healthy lifestyle
is physical activity.
On a personal note, I am an adult soccer player and
I have coached children's soccer teams. In fact, I coached Carol
Tucker Foreman's daughter on one of those soccer teams. However,
I will guarantee you that none of us participating at whatever age,
whether kids or adults, were participating or playing because of
our long-term health benefits. We were playing because it was fun—I
think it is very important not to forget fun.
We must make the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle enjoyable
and build in fun and pleasure if we are to succeed long term. We
want consumers to change, but we want them to change not because
we tell them they have to but because they want to—and that
means motivation.
Let's look at specific examples from IFIC's own research.
We do a great deal of qualitative and quantitative research on a
number of issues, and our experience shows how to put theory into
practice. For example, we consumer tested the 1995 Dietary Guideline
on Fat, which said, "Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol." What we found in our qualitative research is that
consumers interpreted that to mean, "Don't eat fat."
We were surprised and disturbed to learn in the same
research that the first five emotions that consumers identified
when discussing their own diets were
- Guilt
- Worry
- Fear
- Anger
- Helplessness
In fact, we validated these emotions quantitatively
in follow-up IFIC consumer research and found out that almost 60
percent of consumers—women gatekeepers—felt guilty when
eating foods high in fats and sugars. That is not very motivating
for consumers.
At IFIC, we recognized that we needed a different
approach to reach consumers. We needed to develop new message guidelines
that would
- Be positive.
- Empower consumers to make real changes.
- Address sources of discomfort about eating habits.
The new message we developed and validated through
quantitative testing is
- Foods with fat can fit; moderate, don't eliminate.
Consumer interpretation of that was you can still
eat some high fat foods but don't go overboard. This hits directly
on the critical issue of portion size.
Another reality check was recognized. The purpose
of dietary guidance overall is to provide direction toward healthier
lifestyles and to motivate consumers to make changes. However, the
current message environment has left consumers feeling guilty and
confused. This is why we believe now more than at any other point,
it is time for a new conversation with consumers.
So, how do we start this conversation? Well, first
we must get consumers' attention. We must cut through the noise,
the clutter, and the static. To do that, let's draw on a tip from
legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi:
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"People who work together will win,
whether it be against complex football defenses or the problems
of modern society." |
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And, other pearls of wisdom from the 1969 White House
Conference:
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"The nutritional problems
noted above have complex interrelated scientific, social, cultural,
economic, and political aspects." |
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"Effective solutions will require
cooperative and coordinated study and action by government and
the private sector, including industry, agriculture, educational
institutions, the health professions, voluntary health agencies,
and consumers."
[Report of Panel II-3: White House
Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health, 1969] |
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We must commit ourselves to broad public-private partnerships
in the future. What does partnership mean? Who are the partners?
How do public and private sector partners work together?
In effect, what are the core elements of a successful
partnership? They must
- Demonstrate commitment to a joint mission.
- Reach agreement on guiding principles.
- Define established boundaries.
- Show respect to divergent points of view.
- Demonstrate a dedication to achieving an outcome.
What are the benefits of working together? Well, they
are immeasurable. We can
- Speak with one voice. Sally Squires of the Washington
Post made this point very clearly in the media workshop yesterday
afternoon. She emphasized how important that will be to members
of the media.
- Leverage strengths, resources, and reach. Public-private
partnerships will enable us to do this.
- Provide multiple reinforcing interactive channels
to consumers. Again, this is best accomplished through these broad
partnerships.
- Effect positive change.
Who is the beneficiary of this cooperation between
these broad public-private partnerships? The consumer.
What could be our greatest contribution from this
summit? A renewed commitment to work together for and with consumers.
How will we be remembered? And, by the way, that is
"we" in the broadest sense of the word. All of us assembled here,
whether we come from government, nutrition and health communities,
consumer advocacy, or the private sector, how will we be remembered?
Well, we want to be remembered and we want to be able
to address the challenge ahead. We want to be really known for having
pursued a consumer orientation, to champion the consumer perspective,
to expand understanding and knowledge about the consumer, and to
use consumer-based communications to convey nutrition and health
messages.
We want to be known for being able to work together
to develop model public-private partnerships, either to develop
new public-private partnerships or to extend or enhance those already
currently under way such as those that Dr. Kennedy referred to earlier,
the Partnership to Promote Healthy Living and Physical Activity
and the Dietary Guidelines Alliance.
Finally, and maybe most important of all, we need
to start a new conversation with consumers. However, a final thought
from Baltimore's own philosopher, H.L. Mencken:
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"For every complex question there
is always a simple solution, and it is always wrong." |
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Thank you very much.
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