Is there a consumer backlash against the diet and health message?

Objective Anecdotal evidence exists that the public is becoming skeptical a bout nutrition messages. This article examines whether there is a backlash against dietary recommendations and whether it is associated with less heal thful diets. Design/participants Data are front a 1997-1998 Washington State random-digi t-dial survey of 1,751 adults designed to monitor attitudes and behavior re lated to cancer risk and prevention. Statistical analyses Responses to the nutrition backlash survey were weight ed to reflect the Washington State population. Linear regression was used t o examine associations of nutrition backlash with fat and fruit and vegetab le intake. Results This survey did not find strong evidence that nutrition backlash wa s widespread. However, 70% of respondents thought that Americans are obsess ed with the fat in their diet and that the government should not tell peopl e what to eat. More than a quarter agreed with the statement that eating lo w-fat foods takes the pleasure out of eating. Nutrition backlash was associ ated with less healthful diets: individuals showing high backlash had a fat -related diet habits score of 2.11 compared with a score of 1.73 among thos e showing low backlash (P for trend =.001), which corresponds to a differen ce of roughly 4 percentage points in percentage energy from fat. Individual s showing high backlash reported eating only 2.72 servings of fruits and ve getables per day, compared with 3.35 servings among those showing low backl ash (P for trend =.001). Applications/conclusions Nutrition professionals need to ensure that dietar y recommendations are clear and positive to avoid the possibility that cons umers may disregard nutrition messages entirely.