On March 3 the FDA released new statistics showing that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of what they are buying - and putting into their mouths - by reading the nutrition labels required on all processed food products.

The Health and Diet Survey showed that more than 50 percent of U.S. consumers are taking the time to look at the labels when purchasing a new product for the first time. Current federal labelling requirements include serving size, calories from fat, fat content, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate and protein amounts. Additionally, vitamins and mineral amounts-by percentage of daily value-are provided. There is a wealth of information to be gleaned from these labels, and they are especially helpful for anyone who has special dietary requirements, such as reduced sodium, gluten-free, low cholesterol, or low-fat.

According to the FDA press release, the survey also found differing degrees of trust about claims found on food labels. For example, 41 percent of consumers believe that all or most of claims such as "low fat," "high fibre," or "cholesterol free" are accurate, while 56 percent believe that some or none of them are accurate.

The findings, which consisted of a 2008 telephone survey of 2,500 adults in every state and the District of Columbia, were a broad look at the nation's dietary habits overall. The good news here is that consumers are becoming more aware of not only labels, but the link between diet and heart disease, including factors such as the consumption of certain foods or dinks, trans fats, fatty acids and saturated fat.

Among the highlights of survey findings in regard to how diet affects health:

1. More U.S. consumers know of the relationship between diet and heart disease. Ninety-one percent knew of this link, an 8 percent jump from 2002. In addition, 62 percent of consumers mentioned fats as a factor related to heart disease, compared to 53 percent in 2002.

2. Eighty-one percent of consumers know that certain foods or drinks may help prevent heart disease or heart attacks. This result showed no change from 2002. While fruits and vegetables were most frequently linked with reducing heart disease, fewer people made this link in 2008 than in 2002.

3. Consumers' awareness that trans fats in the diet may raise the risk of heart disease nearly doubled over just four years, from 32 percent in 2004 to 62 percent.

4. Correct identification that omega 3 fatty acids may lower the risk of heart disease increased, from 31 percent in 2004 to 52 percent in 2008.

5. Knowledge that saturated fat may raise the risk of heart disease was stable: it was 74 percent in 2004 and 73 percent in 2008.