Where attention is shifting.

Among the high, attention-now items, drinking water and eating healthy have the highest "more than" percentage. At least 40 percent of the respondents say they are paying more attention to eating healthy and drinking water today than they were two years ago. The higher interest in national politics happens every four years, but the higher interest in exercise seems to have legs or staying power.

Drinking water and eating healthy ratings were paired with incremental additions in attention. Respondents indicated that they didn't just start eating healthy or drinking water, but are paying more attention to them than they were two or three years ago.

The numbers shown in reverse-print white include jumps of difference as well as small changes. In this survey, consumers used a five-point scale to note their level of attention today in one column and their level of attention to the same subject two or three years ago in another column. Most shifts were of one or two points, e.g., a 4 now and a 3 then or a 3 now and a 1 or 2 then. On the numbers shown in reverse-print, white-on-black, several respondents indicated that they had just started paying more attention to carbs, meal bars, or the economy, or less attention to home cooking. Attention you give % More % Less % Paying to: (Shown in order Than Than Attention of cited change) 2-Years 2-Years Today

Ago Ago

Base 102 Rs 102 Rs 102 Rs Drinking water 41% 0% 48% Eating healthy 40 0 75 Exercise 36 6 58 Politics-national 35 0 56 Technology 34 3 51 Country of origin 31 0 53 Carbs (carbohydrates) 30 0 30 Convenience 2 0 64 The economy 28 0 94 Recipes 27 11 56 Calories 25 0 80 Stretching dollars 25 9 59 Information on labels 24 0 74 Store brands 24 4 44 Flavors 21 0 47 Fat 20 5 63 Sales/specials 19 0 74 Saving time 19 3 73 Ethics 19 0 69 Package convenience 19 0 57 Uniqueness 19 7 24 Cooking shows 19 0 11 Prices 18 0 77 Simplicity 18 0 68 Brands (national) 18 5 54 Frozen foods 18 0 46 Trying new things 18 6 35 Sauces 18 0 25 Spices/spice mixes 16 0 22 Eco-friendliness 15 0 47 Restaurants 14 0 63 Nutrition (meal) bars 20 0 26 Food safety 13 0 78 Saving money 12 0 84 Ethnic foods 12 0 17 Home cooking 10 24 52