When it comes to low-calorie sweeteners (also sometimes referred to as "artificial" sweeteners, sugar substitutes or non-nutritive sweeteners), there is a strange dichotomy taking place in the U.S. Many consumers want to lose weight and report making changes to their diets, in an effort to achieve this goal. Yet, nearly half of consumers report not consuming low-calorie sweeteners, according to the IFIC Foundation's "2010 Food & Health Survey."

The "2010 Food & Health Survey" finds nearly six in 10 consumers (57%) view themselves as overweight. Likewise, more than half (54%) of Americans are trying to lose weight. Of those trying to lose weight, they report changing the amount of food they consume (76%); changing the type of food consumed (68%); exercising (60%); changing meal frequency (44%); consuming diet foods and beverages containing low-calorie sweeteners (24%); and counting calories (22%). Only about four in 10 consumers (38%) agree low-calorie sweeteners can play a role in weight management, and about one third (34%) agree low-calorie sweeteners can reduce the calorie content of foods. Four in 10 consumers (40%) report not consuming low-calorie sweeteners at all.