We’ve had several people ask us about a new study on adolescents’ consumption of whole grains, that appeared in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in January. It’s been getting quite a bit of play in the trade press, with articles summarizing like this: “A new study has uncovered barriers for adolescents in reaching the recommended whole grain intake of three [servings] a day – including lack of availability and taste preference.”

There’s one big problem with this study: It uses data from 1999-2004 – data that are 6 to 10 years old. A lot has changed in the world of whole grains during the last 6 to10 years, and availability is hugely different today than it was in 2004.

In the year 2000, just 164 new whole grain products were introduced worldwide, according to Mintel’s Global New Product Database. By 2003, the figure had inched up to 417 new whole grain product introductions – but after that, the whole grain market virtually exploded, with 2883 new whole grain launches in 2008.

In some supermarket categories – such as breakfast cereals – there are now more whole grain products than refined ones, in fact, and many chain restaurants now offer whole grain options, day in and day out.  

The photo on this page, of a Whole Foods market “whole grains bar,” illustrates just how much things have changed in the past six years. (Thanks to Mike Orlando, former WGC chairman, for spotting this in San Diego.) Okay, granted it’s Whole Foods, and not FrugalMart, but who even knew there were this many kinds of whole grains in 2004, let alone seeing them for sale, ready to eat, all in one place?

While supermarkets and restaurants can still do better in making “at least half their grains whole,” the “new study” does not represent what’s happening, on the ground, today. Someone in our office said, “Isn’t this sort of like looking at 1999-2004 data and saying, “Not many adolescents are using social networking tools. We need more availability!” “  

The real whole grain story starts in 2005, with update of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the introduction of the Whole Grain Stamp. Data from NPD Group show that consumption overall rose 20% from 2005 to 2008, after remaining steady from 1998 to 2005, and among 18-34 year olds whole grain consumption rose a whopping 38% during that same period.

What’s really happening with whole grains and adolescents today? Kids are getting used to the fuller, nuttier taste of whole grains, which are more widely available every day. Denise Snow, an Orange County (CA) High School cafeteria manager quoted in the February 7, 2010 New York Times, gives us a much better snapshot than this old data: ““When we went to whole-wheat pizza, the kids fussed for a while and we lost some of them,” Ms. Snow said. “But now they don’t say a thing, and pretty much everyone is back to eating them.”  (Cindy)