New research from the International Food Information Council released Thursday found that out of the almost two-thirds of survey respondents who report feeling stressed, half of them say they eat and drink less healthy food and beverages. Women, Hispanic people and people in lower-income households report feeling the most stressed.
When survey respondents defined the term “healthy,” many of them said it included “limited or no artificial ingredients or preservatives,” “fresh,” “good source of protein” and “low in sugar.” Almost 8 in 10 participants reported that they consider whether a food is processed when they purchased it, with two-thirds saying that they try to avoid or sometimes avoid processed food.
Managing personal finances and the economy in general ranked as Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the list of top stressors, while food and beverage choices came in eighth. All four generations surveyed—Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z—said they’ve noticed a rise in food and beverage costs over the past year.
