Key Takeaways
- 35% of Americans surveyed rate their nutrition knowledge as above average, up from 24% in 2025—a significant shift in perceived expertise
- 85% report not knowing how much protein, fiber, carbs, sugar, and salt they consume daily, down from 91% in 2022
- 93% agree that being able to accurately log food would help them monitor intake, up from 87% in previous years, underscoring the value of tracking
- MyFitnessPal’s 2026 Nutrition IQ Survey reveals both progress and persistent gaps in foundational nutrition literacy
March is National Nutrition Month, and this year’s theme—”Discover the Power of Nutrition”—reflects an important shift happening across the country. More Americans are engaging with nutrition information than ever before, and their confidence in understanding it is growing. But confidence and competence aren’t always aligned. And when it comes to nutrition, that gap matters.
The State of Nutrition Knowledge
MyFitnessPal’s fourth annual Nutrition IQ Survey of 1,000 U.S. adults reveals a mixed picture. In some areas, knowledge is genuinely improving. In others, fundamental misconceptions persist.
On the upside, awareness is increasing. The percentage of people who report not really having an idea of what they consume daily has dropped from 91% in 2022 to 85% in 2026. While 85% is still high, the trend suggests people are becoming more conscious of the need to understand their intake.
Recognition of tracking’s value is also growing. 93% of respondents agree that being able to accurately log food would help them keep an eye on their intake. This is up from 87% in prior years. This shift indicates that the barrier to better nutrition literacy isn’t skepticism about tools, but rather the consistent application of them.
Where Knowledge Gaps Remain
Despite growing confidence, several fundamental areas show persistent confusion.
About two-thirds of people can correctly identify what calories are, but application of that knowledge varies widely. When asked to estimate calories in common foods, accuracy drops significantly—particularly for foods perceived as “healthy.”
Serving size versus portion size remains widely misunderstood. While 60% can correctly identify that serving size is the standardized amount on nutrition labels, only 25% correctly understand that portion size refers to the amount of food chosen to eat in one sitting. This confusion has direct implications for intake estimation.
Hydration guidelines represent another significant knowledge gap. Only 16% can correctly identify the recommended daily fluid intake guideline of half your body weight in ounces. The majority default to oversimplified rules like “8 cups per day.”
Why This Matters
At MyFitnessPal, we’ve spent 20 years helping people understand what they eat. Nearly one million people reach their goals with our platform each year, because clear information that’s consistently applied, drives results.
The gap between feeling knowledgeable and being precise isn’t about intelligence. It’s about having the right tools and using them consistently. When people track what they eat, they don’t just log data, they can also become more aware of the foods that fuel their bodies. Over time, that literacy becomes intuition.
This National Nutrition Month, the power of nutrition isn’t just in the food itself. It’s in understanding what you’re actually consuming and using that information to make decisions that serve your goals.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring specific areas where perception and reality diverge in nutrition knowledge—from portion size confusion to the ways “healthy” foods systematically mislead us. Each insight is drawn from real data about what Americans actually know, believe, and misunderstand about the food they eat.
Because discovering the power of nutrition starts with understanding what you don’t yet know.
Methodology: MyFitnessPal surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18-64 in January 2026. The sample was representative of the U.S. Census by age and gender.