Milling & Baking News - April 2, 2013 - 7

Editorial



Fascinating look inside consumption data

ardly anything provides more instructive capita consumption of wheat flour, a total attained
surprises than digging deep into data main- at the turn of this century. Consumption at home abtained by the Economic Research Service on sorbs 63 per cent and away from home 37 per cent.
consumption of foods in the United States. For grain- High-income households showed consumption at 153
based foods, a relative gold mine of information is pounds, which was 21 pounds more than low income.
available from this agency of the U.S. Department of Males had an average flour intake of 161 pounds and
Agriculture that should help the industry respond to females were at 124. Among age and gender groups,
some of the most outrageous charges about the effect consumption was the highest for male children 12-19
its products have on human health. But going way years of age at 184 pounds and lowest among females
beyond these carefully prepared statistics present- over 40, which averaged 111 pounds.
ing an in-depth portrayal of many influences on food
Considering the allegations that wheat is a cause of
consumption are the data pointing to possibilities in obesity in America, the studies are revealing, showbuilding demand. These should be useful in devel- ing healthy weight adults and obese adults had nearoping industry-wide as well as individual company ly identical per capita consumption of wheat flour.
strategies aimed at capitalizing on what people eat.
In the case of children, those considered obese had
Using the information detailing per capita availabil- a lower per capita intake of wheat flour than either
ity, the E.R.S. has undertaken
those with healthy weight or
Considering the allegations that
over recent years a number
wheat is a cause of obesity in America, were overweight.
of studies seeking informaRace and ethnicity were
the studies are revealing, showing
tion about actual household
found to have a dramatic imhealthy weight adults and obese
and individual consumption.
pact on consumption of wheat
adults had nearly identical per capita
The aim has been to convert
flour. Whites were shown to
consumption of wheat ﬂour.
availability, which comprises
have a per capita average of
production plus imports minus exports, divided by 151 pounds, blacks 124 and Hispanics 120. Just the oppopulation, into finding out exactly how much food posite occurred in per capita intake of corn meal, at 25
is eaten. Going beyond this important effort are analy- pounds for whites, 29 for blacks and 66 for Hispanics.
ses based on economic, social and demographic char- While not as powerful as in the skim milk example, avacteristics in order to delve into the specifics of eat- erage consumption among college graduates was 153
ing. While the main work has been carried out by the pounds of wheat flour, which was 10 pounds higher
E.R.S., the Department of Health and Human Services than for high school graduates and 35 pounds above
has participated through a joint survey titled “What people with less than high school education.
We Eat in America.”
It doesn’t require much imagination to convert
It was a list of “major findings” from this survey such data into marketing guidelines. Especially obvithat attracted attention to determine if similar findings ous is making the choice between which group with
existed for grain-based foods. Learning that consump- low consumption levels can probably be influenced to
tion of fruits and vegetables differs sharply by income boost their intakes of various flour-based foods and
prompted wonder about the current effect of income on which are questionable. Thus far, this sort of informawheat flour products. Being told that milk consump- tion has mainly found its use among government oftion correlates with educational attainment and that ficials intent on analyzing the nutritional quality of
skim milk use is particularly associated with education the American diet and deciding where changes in
raised that issue, as did the finding that children con- emphasis are advisable. In light of recent trends in
sume more apples than adults, largely as apple juice.
flour use, it is time for such data to be the focus of
The studies use 142 pounds as the national per programs aimed at boosting consumption. MBN
MORTON SOSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Milling & Baking News, 4800 Main Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, Mo, 64112
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Milling & Baking News - April 2, 2013

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