“A Year in Nutrition” is a comprehensive data analysis of nutrition-related appointment booking trends. To explore how Americans are engaging with food and nutrition care, and how that has evolved, with a focus on the past year, Zocdoc analyzed its aggregated dietitian and nutrition appointment booking data from January-February 2020, January-February 2021, and January-February 2022.

The data shows how people are engaging with food and nutrition professionals during a time when the impact of dietary choices on physical wellness is in the spotlight: since the pandemic’s onset, more than 48% of people have gained weight beyond their normal fluctuations, 36% of people have reported eating less healthily, and 44% said they are snacking more. At the same time, a growing number of Americans have shown increased interest in using food to heal their bodies, and to support their immune system.

People are seeking help to develop healthy eating habits

For most Americans, stress has increased significantly during the pandemic, and that stress has often manifested in their eating practices. According to one study, “[During the pandemic,] a substantial proportion of individuals reported an increase in unhealthy eating practices…. In addition, almost a third reported that their diet became worse than before the pandemic.” A rising number of people are seeking care. From January-February 2021 to January-February 2022:

• Nutrition consultation and follow-up appointments increased by 31%
• Appointments with dietitians increased by 63%
• Intuitive eating and mindful eating consultation appointments increased by 175%

Americans are engaging the experts to manage their weight safely

With much of the public returning to the office, and others adjusting to a new normal, many Americans are trying to shed the weight they gained during the pandemic — particularly following its onset, when stay-at-home orders and other restrictions changed our day-to-day lives — and to manage disordered eating issues. An increasing number of people have sought help to navigate this process safely, both mentally and physically. From January-February 2020, before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, to January-February 2022:

• Gastric bypass nutrition appointments increased by 93%
• Obesity nutrition consultation appointments increased by 80%
• Eating disorder nutrition consultations increased by 11%

There is growing awareness of the connection between diet and physical wellness

From healthcare providers sharing nutrition tips to help COVID-19 recovery, to health agencies recommending nutritional choices that support the immune system, to research on the impact of diet on long-haul COVID and beyond, people are making the connection between nutrition and physical wellness. From January-February 2021 to January-February 2022:

• Kidney health diet consultation appointments increased by 17%
• Anti-inflammatory diet appointments increased by 300%

For more information, contact press@zocdoc.com. If you are a healthcare provider who wants to reach new patients and offer seamless access to care — in-person or virtually — you can learn more at zocdoc.com/join.