NEW YORK, Jan 13 (Reuters Health) -- US consumers are fickle when it comes to their dietary habits, due in part to conflicting nutrition information, results of a recent survey suggest.

"Nutrition is becoming religion to people," said Barbara Levine, director of the Nutrition Information Center at The New York Hospital-Weill Medical College of Cornell University. "Everyone wants to live a longer, better and more healthy life."

The survey by the Nutrition Information Center found that consumers are most confused when it comes to advice on diet, such as whether eating red meat, salt, margarine, and coffee are risks for disease or not.

For example, consumers remain confused about the effects of caffeine on heart disease, although the latest research shows moderate amounts do not raise the risk of heart disease. Similarly, many Americans are unaware that an occasional serving of lean red meat can be part of a healthy diet.

Confusion is not confined to these foods. Last year, a major medical journal released a study that concluded that fiber does not lower a person's risk of colon cancer, contradicting long-term teaching about fiber. Another recent study found that fat played no role in the development of breast cancer. And who is not confused about whether eggs raise cholesterol?

The emphasis put on any single study can do a real disservice to consumers, Levine said. She recommends that people view individual studies as a piece of a larger puzzle rather than the bottom line on any nutrient or food.

For example, while fiber's effect on colon cancer remains unclear, it has other positive health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol levels, and should therefore be included in a healthy diet.

According to the survey, 59% said this type of conflicting information convinced them to change their eating habits over the last couple of years.

"We should let the research evolve before we make major changes," Levine said.

Confusion over nutrition could lead consumers to give up on healthy eating or ignore new information. In fact, 20% of respondents have stopped paying attention to new health information, the survey revealed.

The survey was designed by the Nutrition Information Center through an educational grant from the management firm for the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers. Yankelovich Partners, a polling firm, completed the survey of 1,001 US adults aged 18 and older.