Positive links between oats and heart health figure highly in the consciousness of the consumer, according to a recent survey conducted by the US Natural Marketing Institute.
According to the survey, 54 per cent of adult consumers associate the benefits of oats with heart health, far more than any other product. The survey also found that more than 60 per cent of consumers say they are most likely to use foods to prevent high cholesterol levels and heart disease, and more than 43 per cent say they would use supplements to prevent these conditions.
"This level of awareness and interest is extremely significant for nutraceutical and functional food industries," said H. Griffith Parker, chairman of oat-ingredients company Nurture. "This clearly shows that the majority of American consumers recognise the heart health benefits of oats in their diet.
Furthermore, the results confirm our belief that more consumers are thinking about and are choosing nutrition and related lifestyle modifications to control their cholesterol and heart health."
The results of the study would suggest that food companies and dietary supplement companies could build on this consumer awareness by formulating new foods with oat-based food ingredients.
The survey, conducted by National Family Opinion, was based on a nationally projectable, random sample of over 2,000 US households and is considered statistically valid to plus or minus 2 per cent.