CHICAGO — Time to step it up, people.

Americans are eating less ice cream, according to an unsettling new study from market research firm Mintel. While some 92 percent of households bought frozen treats in the past six months, 22 percent indicated they’re cutting back on the quantity purchased, mostly for health reasons. And volume sales of ice cream and frozen treats are expected to decline while Mintel projects a slim retail sales increase of 1.8 percent to hit $12.6 billion in 2016.

But it’s not all glum news. Turns out that American consumers are spending more money for more premium and single-serve products. Gone are the days low-fat and low-calorie frozen treats satisfied the guilty conscience. People are seeking out smaller portions of more indulgent products, the study said.

“That’s not news to people in the food industry. You see people across categories willing to pay more for higher quality food,” said Joe Oberweis, president and CEO of Oberweis Dairy, based in Chicago.

Oberweis ice cream, which represents roughly 40 to 50 percent of the company’s sales, has fared well with these recent consumer trends. The ice cream is considered “super premium” because it surpasses the threshold of 14 percent butterfat, Oberweis said. And indulgent flavors with a mix of ingredients, like the Black Raspberry Chocolate Chunk, are going gangbusters.

While the majority of consumers still buy single-flavor ice cream, more are “intrigued by flavors with mix-ins.” About 41 percent of consumers are buying ice cream with other ingredients, such as cake bits and chocolate chunks, compared with 24 percent in 2013.