Consumer Survey Findings

Survey Says

A new survey of American adults revealed that while most feel knowledgeable when it comes to heart health, many do not put their knowledge into practice.¹

Getting to the heart of the problem

Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed say they had good or excellent heart health and almost nine out of 10 knew that making small changes to their diet and lifestyle could help avoid heart disease.
Despite this knowledge, less than half of respondents chose heart healthy options when dining out or shopping for groceries, less than one in three have substituted heart healthy options when cooking and only 37 percent have stocked their pantries with heart healthy foods.
87 percent of respondents felt well-informed about the importance of exercise and fitness, yet 25 percent reported not exercising at all, while only 23 percent reported engaging in moderate physical activity most days of the week.
95 percent of Americans surveyed believed at least one myth about heart health. More than half believed heart healthy foods are more expensive than other foods and roughly 40 percent believed maintaining a healthy heart meant giving up their favorite foods.
Many people do not know that some of the staples in their refrigerator already do a lot to protect the heart. For example, only 54 percent of respondents knew that 100 percent orange juice supported or promoted heart health, yet this morning staple provides nutrients such as potassium, which may help maintain healthy blood pressure and promote heart health. More commonly-known heart healthy foods included green, leafy vegetables, fish and nuts or seeds.

¹The survey was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,004 U.S. adults age 35 or older. Interviews were conducted online during a six-day period starting August 21, 2009 by Richard Day Research for the Florida Department of Citrus. The margin of error for a random sample of this size is +/-3 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.