Survey Suggests Eating Habits Don’t Match the Belief of Most Americans That Their Diet Is Healthy

Close to 90% of Americans say they eat a healthy diet, but their penchant for sweet foods and drinks suggests otherwise.

A new purchaser Reports Health telephone poll of 1,234 adults showed that 52.6% of respondents said their diet was “somewhat healthy,” 31.5% thought their diet was “very” healthy, and 5.6% said they were “extremely” healthy eaters.

But 43% of said they drank at least one sugary soda or sugar-sweetened coffee or tea drink per day, and around one-quarter said they limit the amount of sweets and fat they get every day.

These not-so-healthy eating habits may sabotage their diets and their waistlines, say Nancy Metcalf, the senior program editor for Consumer Reports Health in Yonkers, N.Y.