Studies show that most Americans are aware that food waste is a problem and are concerned about it, but they waste more food than the national average.

According to John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, 31 to 40 percent of the American food supply goes to waste primarily in homes, stores, and restaurants.  Food waste costs Americans $161.6 billion yearly.

Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 consumers across America in April 2014. Nearly three-quarters of Americans believed that they wasted less food than the national average, according to the results published in the journal PLOS ONE.

From the results for the surveys, food safety and the desire to eat only fresh foods are the top reasons for Americans to throw their fruits and vegetables.

The amount of food wasted causes a huge effect on the environment when approximately 30 percent of fertilizers, 35 percent of fresh water, and 31 percent of cropland in the country were used to cultivate the food that was just thrown out.

Study leader Roni Neff, director of the Food System Sustainability said that Americans perceive themselves as wasting very little food, but in reality, they are wasting significant quantities.

"It happens throughout the food chain, including both a lot of waste by consumers, and a lot on our behalf, when businesses think we won't buy imperfect food. The root causes are complex," Neff explained.

Neff also said that the survey results are relevant for three groups. For educators working to solve the problem of food waste, for policy workers to make date labels clear and consistent, and for businesses to adapt to what consumers want, like smaller product sizes and discounting damaged or near-expiration foods.

"Consumer waste of food in the U.S. represents a powerful quintuple threat. Reducing it may improve food security, nutrition, budgets, environment and public health," Neff added.