June 13, 2024
Abacus Data conducted a nationwide survey (1,500 Canadian adults between February 29 and March 6, 2024) earlier this year to investigate health perceptions among Canadians.
The findings from this study underscore the impact of cultural trends and advances in scientific knowledge that are often reflected in national guidelines. However, they also show different perceptions and opinions and large generational differences on some items.
Canadians were asked which of two behaviors was healthier. In general, there is widespread agreement that getting 8 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep throughout the night (instead of short naps throughout the day) is healthy, while a balanced mix of plant and animal proteins (instead of plant protein) is beneficial for a healthy diet. Choose to cook with only -based) and olive oil (instead of vegetable oil), eat whole eggs (instead of just egg whites), and use butter (instead of margarine). Eating many small meals throughout the day (69%) is seen as healthier than eating larger meals over a shorter period of time, while eating an hour before bed (58%) is generally considered unhealthy.
When asked more specifically, most people think skipping breakfast (65%) is unhealthy, although there is less agreement on whether a muffin and orange juice constitutes a healthy breakfast. While 45% agree that breakfast is healthy, 30% say it is neither healthy nor unhealthy, and 23% find it unhealthy.
Similarly, most people think taking a daily multivitamin is a healthy behavior (70%), while more think it is healthier to get nutrients solely from a healthy diet rather than using supplements. But one in three Canadians think it’s healthier to use supplements to get nutrients rather than just sticking to a healthy diet.
Differences in health perceptions: Cultural and social contexts
The perception of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle is often shaped by campaigns, particularly national guidelines, and the health information to which individuals are exposed during their formative years. For example, in the 1980s, government advice centered around low-carbohydrate, low-fat diets and advised against cholesterol consumption.
New research challenging the negative consequences of carbohydrates and fat, especially cholesterol, has shifted the emphasis in national guidelines. Today, science and government advice focus on the negative consequences of overly processed foods and emphasize the importance of labeling.
Young adults are also more likely to be exposed to health information shared by social media influencers and health gurus who are creating new ‘diet cultures’ via the internet and social media.
In our survey, older individuals (62%) were more likely to perceive following a low-carb diet as healthier, while younger people were more likely to perceive a diet low in ultra-processed foods as healthier. This likely reflects younger individuals’ exposure to recent campaigns that prioritize local and organic produce over ultra-processed foods.
Similarly, older individuals also view cutting fat as healthier; This is likely a reflection of their exposure to the ‘war on fat’ message. People over 60 are much more likely to think it’s healthy to cut as much fat as possible from their diet (74%), whereas only 50% of those under 60 feel this way.
Older individuals (79%) perceive dairy consumption as healthier than younger adults (56%); This is likely a reflection of extensive promotional campaigns for milk and dairy products and their messages about bone strength and other benefits.
Generational differences also influence exercise preferences: Younger individuals (41%) perceive weight training as healthier than older adults (15%). Conversely, older adults (85%) are more likely than younger age groups (59%) to find cardio exercise healthier.
Gender differences in health perceptions also reveal different preferences. Women (76%) find daily multivitamin consumption healthier than men (66%) and they emphasize the health benefits of fermented foods (36%) more than men (26%).
In contrast, men are more likely than women (28% and 17%, respectively) to consider drinking a glass of wine (36%) or unsweetened beverages like soda (23%) healthy.
As with generational differences, gender preferences also influence perceptions of exercise. While both men and women find low-intensity workouts healthier than high-intensity workouts, women (71%) are more likely to find low-intensity workouts healthier than men (63%). Conversely, men (37%) are more likely than women (29%) to perceive high-intensity workouts.
Finally, health perceptions not only reveal current trends but also highlight gaps in public awareness. When asked whether it is healthy to drink a glass of wine a day, the majority of individuals (39%) find it neither healthy nor unhealthy, while 5% are undecided. Guidelines for alcohol consumption have changed over the past few years, which may contribute to the lack of consensus.
People are also most uncertain about the health effects of new trends, such as consuming fermented foods regularly (16% don’t know) and fasting for 14 to 16 hours a day (8%).
Especially as education and income increase, the likelihood of fermented foods being perceived as healthy increases. People who have graduated from university find fermented foods most healthy (38%) and are least aware of their benefits (12%), while those who are in high school or below find fermented foods least healthy (24%) and are most likely to find fermented foods healthy (38%). . probably unaware (19%).
The difference is similar when it comes to income. Those making more than $150,000 find fermented foods most healthy (36%) and least unaware of their benefits (10%), while those making less than $150,000 find fermented foods least healthy (29%) and most likely unaware of their benefits (10%) are most likely unaware of their benefits (18%).
Conclusion
The answer to the question ‘what is healthy’ is dynamic and evolves over time as scientific understanding, social norms and cultural influences change. In particular, there is a clear generational divide in health perceptions, reflecting the profound influence of historical context on individuals’ beliefs about health and wellness. While older adults emphasize the importance of low-carb and low-fat diets, younger adults find low in ultra-processed foods more beneficial.
This division in our understanding of nutrition is reflected in other choices, such as focusing on specific benefits such as exercise, consumption of certain foods (like dairy or butter), and cutting fat.
Gender, education, and income also play a role as social and cultural contexts influence perceptions of health. Familiarity with emerging nutritional research, such as the use of fermented foods, demonstrates differential exposure to the ‘healthy’ among certain demographic groups.
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