Swiss interest in healthy eating reaches a record high

Interest in healthy eating and exercise has reached an all-time high in Switzerland, with 89 percent of eligible voters saying the topics are very important to them, according to a new GFS nutrition monitor reported by SRF. At the same time, the share who feel well informed has fallen to a record low of 68 percent.

The study attributes the decline mainly to conflicting advice in digital and social media. More than half of respondents said they struggle to distinguish scientific facts from nutrition myths and marketing. The representative survey questioned 1,013 eligible voters between March 18 and April 13, 2026.

Respondents continue to see individuals and their families as chiefly responsible for wellbeing, but support has grown over the past decade for measures that reinforce personal choices. More than 70 percent expect food manufacturers to develop healthier recipes, and over 90 percent support removing unnecessary hidden sugar from processed foods.

Most respondents oppose government taxes on foods high in sugar, salt or fat: 68 percent reject such levies, while about three-quarters doubt they would bring lasting changes in consumption. Concerns include possible disadvantages for domestic businesses and more shopping abroad. If a tax were considered, a broad majority said all categories of sugary products should be treated equally.

Education and prevention measures receive stronger support. Nearly 90 percent back efforts to improve nutrition knowledge in schools, expand sports activities and provide prevention programmes for at-risk groups. A ban on advertising unhealthy foods to children is supported by 82 percent, while age limits on purchases have little backing.

Views on prescription weight-loss medicines depend on how they are used. Up to 90 percent support their use for diagnosed obesity or after conventional treatments have failed, but nearly 80 percent oppose using them solely for cosmetic reasons. Nine in ten say lasting weight loss should primarily come through lifestyle changes, and express concern about growing social pressure to be slim.