New York and Los Angeles, CA—Americans aren’t doing enough to actively support their immune systems, according to new research from Spoon Guru, and 40% of them are calling on supermarkets to help them eat more healthily.

A press release on the topic explains that despite 90% of Americans claiming to be actively taking steps to fortify their immune system and 78% paying more attention to their health in general, research suggests otherwise:
  • Only 24% of Americans have given up sugary foods
  • 13% are eating more indulgent foods to relax
  • 29% have ditched fast food
  • 40% aren’t taking vitamins
  • 13% are unaware of what vitamins they should be taking
Dr Adrian Hodgson commented in the press release: “Americans know they should eat more immune supporting fruit and veg with a view to aiding their health, however, it’s clear from our findings that they are missing the tools to make wise diet choices.”

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Americans are calling on supermarkets to help them, with 57% of survey respondents claiming that products aren’t clearly labelled and 15% saying that supermarkets aren’t helping them identify nutritious products. 16% state that online retailers, specifically, make it difficult to find healthy food items.

Consumers aren’t just calling on supermarkets to help, the press release notes. 67% of Americans are urging the government to do more to educate customers about the link between unhealthy eating and an unhealthy immune system. 45% want the government to work more closely with the food industry to promote healthy eating.

Spoon Guru asked what foods consumers are eating to support their immune health, and found that bananas and salads were at the top, followed by eggs, citrus fruits, fresh juices, and apples.

Dr. Hodgson commented: “Fruit dominates the top ten immune supporting foods for Americans. Packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols, fruit is essential for strong immunity. The difficult part is ensuring we all incorporate it into our diets through helpful, quick, and easy recipes. Fruit juice—the nation’s fifth favorite health product—can be a good way of getting some immune supporting nutrients, but should be consumed in smaller amounts to avoid overconsumption of naturally occurring sugars. Shockingly, fruit juice can contain just as much, if not more, sugar than a soft drink.”