CHICAGOBaby Boomers are more likely to diet than Millennialsmore than a quarter of all Boomers are on a diet, while only 12% of Millennials diet, according to new market research from the NPD Group. And while the trend suggests dieting is on the decline, healthy eating is on the rise.
Millennials will diet more as they age, but the core dieters in this country are Boomers," said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst and author of Eating Patterns in America. But fewer of us are dieting. Americans are looking for other ways to define health," he said.
These trends are part of a long-term decline in dieting. Nineteen percent of adults report being on a diet in the last year. Dieting peaked in 1991 when nearly 30% of adults reported being on a diet during a typical 2-week period. While Americans are dieting less overall, as adults age, they are more likely to be on a diet.
Even though dieting is down, 57% of adults still report that they would like to lose 20 pounds.
Dieting is not the only way to address your health these days," Balzer said. Avoiding foods with harmful substances and adding foods with beneficial ingredients remain an appealing way to deal with our health rather than just dieting."
Seventy-two percent of adults eat reduced fat foods, nearly 45% of adults eat foods with whole grains on a regular basis and 24% include organic foods and beverages in their diet.
Dieting is difficult and requires a change in habits. Eating healthy or adding good foods in your diet is much easier," Balzer said.