NEW YORK — John Soules Foods' Angus beef steak was among 63 products to receive Best New Product honors from Better Homes and Gardens.

Tyler, Texas-based John Soules Foods makes a variety of value-added meat products, such as fully-cooked beef and chicken that can be used as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. The company’s products are sold to foodservice distributors, restaurant groups, supermarket chains and institutional businesses.

The Better Homes and Gardens Best New Product Awards recognize consumer products in categories such as beauty, food and beverage, health and personal care and household. Winners are chosen by more than 77,500 consumers who participate in the American Shopper Study, an extensive nationwide survey conducted by BrandSpark International. The 2013 survey included 209 products representing 137 brands in 63 categories.

“Now in its fifth year in the US also operating in Canada, Mexico, Turkey and China, the Best New Product Awards and companion American Shopper Study have provided an annual forum for the voices of American consumers to be heard,” said Robert Levy, president and CEO of BrandSpark International and founder of the BNPAs. “And as the program continues to gain momentum, we are able to reveal trending data about the opinions and habits of American shoppers, insights that can help marketers and manufacturers innovate and improve their products and offerings.”

Some findings on consumer trends in food and nutrition included:

• Obesity is the issue most Americans are concerned about with regard to their personal health, with 39 percent identifying it as one of their primary health concerns.

• High blood pressure and high cholesterol are very concerning to 36 percent of Americans, followed by cancer (34 percent).

• More than eight in 10 continue to believe that proper food and nutrition can help to prevent illness, and 78 percent of Americans report actively making changes in their lifestyle to be healthier.

• A majority of Americans, 81 percent, continue to pay attention to food labels.

• Despite a vast increase in the nutritional information available to consumers, there remains a gap in intent, knowledge and follow-through when it comes to nutrition: 64 percent know their recommended daily intake of calories, but just 29 percent follow that recommendation. Meanwhile, four in 10 know their recommended intake of fat, protein, fiber and carbohydrates, but only one in four follow these recommendations.

• Italian food is the most widely enjoyed food, eaten by 91 percent of Americans, followed by Mexican food enjoyed by 82 percent and Chinese enjoyed by 76 percent. These are also the same top-three ethnic food types for Hispanic shoppers.

“Our mission at Better Homes and Gardens is to offer our audience of nearly 40 million consumers ideas and inspiration that they can use to better their home and the life they create there,” said James Carr, executive vice president and president of the magazine. “These awards and companion survey are valuable tools that help us further this goal.”

Better Homes and Gardens will feature the winners and select survey findings within its print, broadcast and digital properties.