Functional foods: consumer attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors in a growing market.

C B J From health reform to the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative tackling childhood obesity to the release of he 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Amercans, nutrition and health are top isues among health professionals, policyakers, and consumers. Like never efore, food and nutrition practitioers, including registered dietitians nd dietetic technicians, registered, ave been identified as critical to conumers’ success in building healthful iets. And Americans are primed for ctionable advice about improving heir health through food and nutriion according to research from the nternational Food Information Concil (IFIC). Consumer interest in foods that rovide health and wellness benefits, r functional foods, is thriving. Reent market data show that, even in a hallenged economy, the market for unctional foods and beverages has utpaced the growth of the total US ood and beverage market by a wide argin. The US functional food maret was valued at more than $37 bilion in 2009, representing about 6% of he total food and beverage market 1). Availability of health-promoting