Editing Consumer education (section)

== Health and nutrition in consumerism ==
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA also provides accurate, science-based health information to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Food and Drug Administration {{!}} USAGov |url=https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/food-and-drug-administration |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=www.usa.gov |language=en}}</ref> Making any health claims without the FDA reviewing it first is illegal. This is not the case for structural or functional claims on conventional food.

Consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious and most agree that eating healthy is a better way to prevent illness than using medication. An increased consciousness of eating healthy among consumers has led to more consumers buying [[functional food]]s who are marketed with scientifically substantiated claims to improve health and well-being. The American dietetic Association supports the use of health claims that have previously been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but stresses the importance of health claims on food being supported by a program of health and nutrition. Multiple sources have to support these claims to make sure there are no unbalanced messages received by the consumer.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bornkessel |first=Sabine |last2=Bröring |first2=Stefanie |last3=(Onno) Omta |first3=S. W. F. |last4=van Trijp |first4=Hans |date=March 2014 |title=What determines ingredient awareness of consumers? A study on ten functional food ingredients |journal=Food Quality and Preference |language=en |volume=32 |pages=330–339 |doi=10.1016/j.foodqual.2013.09.007 |issn=0950-3293}}</ref>

Common findings from studies on health and nutrition in consumerism were:<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Roe |first=Brian |last2=Levy |first2=Alan S. |last3=Derby |first3=Brenda M. |date=March 1999 |title=The Impact of Health Claims on Consumer Search and Product Evaluation Outcomes: Results from FDA Experimental Data |journal=Journal of Public Policy & Marketing |language=en |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=89–105 |doi=10.1177/074391569901800110 |issn=0743-9156}}</ref>

* Health claims on food are seen by consumers as useful, and when a product features a health claim consumers view it as healthier and state, they are more likely to purchase it.
* Consumers are skeptical when companies make the claim of their product having health benefits but strongly agree when the government makes a claim.
* Consumers do not clearly distinguish between nutrition content claims, structure function claims and health claims.

To make sure consumers are being influenced by the claims that are made, it is important that consumers are being exposed and pay attention to the claim, that they have an understanding of the claim and that they have a change in their attitude and belief. after that it is important to maintain this behavior change.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lusk |first=Jayson L. |date=2019-10-15 |editor-last=Shankar |editor-first=Bhavani |title=Consumer beliefs about healthy foods and diets |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=14 |issue=10 |pages=e0223098 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0223098 |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=6793866 |pmid=31613889}}</ref>