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Improving health is the top reason Americans would cut ultra-processed foods

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When asked why they would or would not cut back on ultra-processed foods, nearly six-in-ten Americans (58%) point to improving their overall health, more than any other reason, according to a November 2025 Verasight survey.

Four-in-ten (40%) name losing or managing weight, and 23% would cut back to save money. The pull runs the other way for others: 21% say they crave these foods or find them hard to give up, and 17% enjoy them and don't want to cut back.

Topline

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Selected responses

Improving health is the top reason Americans would cut ultra-processed foods.

What are the main reasons you would or would not want to cut back on ultra-processed foods?

  • To improve my overall health 57.7%
  • To lose or manage weight 40.1%
  • To save money 23.2%
  • I crave these foods or find them hard to give up 21.0%
  • I enjoy these foods and don't want to cut back 17.1%
  • Because of a specific health issue 15.7%
  • None of the above 9.1%
  • I don't think they are unhealthy 6.0%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

Module 1

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-11-14 → 2025-11-20
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
Module 1

Source

Citation

Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2025-148, fielded November 14-20, 2025, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/verasight-apha-2025

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
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Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.