Table 2.
Beliefs and perceptions of nuts and nut butters (survey-adjusted percentages and mean scores) among a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 years or over, New Zealand, September–October 2014
| Association with nut consumption* | Association with nut butter consumption* | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belief and perceptions | Strongly agree (%) | Agree (%) | Neither agree nor disagree (%) | Disagree (%) | Strongly disagree (%) | Mean score | Do not know (%) | t b | P value | t b | P value |
| They are healthy† | 18·5 | 54·2 | 15·6 | 5·1 | 0·3 | 2·1 | 6·4 | 0·15 | <0·001 | 0·01 | 0·864 |
| They are high in protein† | 12·8 | 55·2 | 12·1 | 2·3 | 0·3 | 2·1 | 17·3 | 0·11 | 0·002 | 0·08 | 0·027 |
| They are filling† | 11·9 | 55·1 | 18·2 | 5·7 | 0·5 | 2·2 | 8·7 | 0·08 | 0·020 | 0·05 | 0·152 |
| They are high in fat† | 11·1 | 40·9 | 21·0 | 9·8 | 0·6 | 2·4 | 16·6 | 0·01 | 0·836 | 0·02 | 0·603 |
| They are low in energy/energy‡ | 2·3 | 11·1 | 18·0 | 34·1 | 12·9 | 3·6 | 21·7 | −0·02 | 0·573 | −0·04 | 0·240 |
| They are low in vitamins & minerals‡ | 1·9 | 8·3 | 20·5 | 31·3 | 9·0 | 3·5 | 29·0 | −0·14 | <0·001 | −0·02 | 0·617 |
| Some of them are high in Se† | 8·3 | 28·7 | 19·1 | 1·1 | 0·2 | 2·2 | 42·7 | 0·17 | <0·001 | 0·09 | 0·046 |
| They are low in fibre† | 2·0 | 9·1 | 22·0 | 29·3 | 7·4 | 3·4 | 30·3 | −0·13 | 0·001 | −0·06 | 0·153 |
| Some of them are high in Fe§ | 4·5 | 32·1 | 19·7 | 2·2 | 0·3 | 2·3 | 41·2 | 0·10 | 0·016 | 0·00 | 0·959 |
| They are high in antioxidants† | 4·3 | 29·1 | 23·7 | 4·2 | 0·9 | 2·5 | 37·9 | 0·11 | 0·011 | −0·04 | 0·329 |
| Eating them can increase people’s risk of CVD‡ | 1·8 | 8·3 | 20·9 | 23·9 | 6·8 | 3·4 | 38·3 | −0·11 | 0·006 | −0·12 | 0·002 |
| They are naturally high in salt/Na‡ | 1·8 | 24·3 | 19·8 | 19·4 | 4·0 | 3·0 | 30·7 | −0·12 | 0·001 | −0·04 | 0·285 |
| Eating them can increase people’s total blood cholesterol‡ | 1·1 | 13·2 | 21·2 | 17·9 | 4·8 | 3·2 | 41·9 | −0·12 | 0·004 | −0·09 | 0·043 |
| Eating them will cause people to gain weight‡ | 2·5 | 19·4 | 27·0 | 26·9 | 4·2 | 3·1 | 20·1 | −0·05 | 0·137 | −0·05 | 0·185 |
| Eating them can help lower people’s risk of diabetes║ | 3·4 | 12·5 | 22·2 | 8·4 | 1·2 | 2·8 | 52·3 | 0·07 | 0·115 | −0·07 | 0·142 |
Responses scored as ‘strongly agree’=1, ‘agree’=2, ‘neither agree nor disagree’=3, ‘disagree’=4, ‘strongly disagree’=5.
Note that some statements are supported by current evidence and some are worded in contradiction to current evidence.
Kendall’s τ b correlation with overall frequency of consumption (for those who provided an answer other than ‘I don’t know’), where positive values indicate higher intakes with greater agreement with the statement. Significant P values are indicated in bold font.
Statements that are supported by current evidence.
Statements that are contradicted by current evidence.
Some nuts such as pistachios, cashews and almonds contain useful (>4 mg non-haem Fe/100 g) amounts of Fe, but bioavailability and significance will rely on other dietary factors.
Statements where current evidence is uncertain.