The government's new dietary guidelines are graphically illustrated in the MyPlate icon—a round plate divided into four quadrants, representing fruits, vegetables, protein and grains. The nutritionally-balanced quadrants guide eaters toward a healthy daily diet. But according to the NPD Group's National Eating Trends research, most Americans don't meet the guidelines.
- For the average consumer, only 2 percent of their days—or seven days a year—come close to resembling a MyPlate diet
- When a MyPlate day is achieved, consumers are very likely to eat more than three meals
- More than 65% of adults on NPD's consumer panel are classified as either overweight or obese
"We know through our ongoing research that consumers are more aware of what constitutes a healthy diet, but we also know that what they say and what they do when it comes to eating are often different," says Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry analyst.
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