Healthy Lifestyles or Putting on the Pounds? - UK - April 2005

SUMMARY

Healthy Lifestyles or Putting on the Pounds?" sheds revealing new light on consumer attitudes towards a number of health-related areas, studying their perceptions of the media coverage of health matters and their corresponding behaviour. Do they believe what they see and read, or do they dismiss it as media hype? Is it helpful, confusing or alarming?

Using findings from exclusive focus groups and specifically commissioned consumer research, Mintel s research highlights variations between consumers according to gender and lifestage group.

Vital to all businesses seeking to better understand 2005 s health-conscious consumer, Mintel s report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need to form intelligent and targeted marketing strategy.

Use Mintel s research to understand consumer attitudes towards:

• Diet and Eating Patterns: What are their eating habits, their attitudes towards food and their feelings about weight loss and diets?
• Exercise and Fitness: How much exercise do people indulge in, how do they feel about taking exercise, and what does it mean to them?
• Alcohol and Smoking: Do people believe they drink too much? Are alcohol
• related health messages working? For what reasons have reformed binge drinkers curtailed their consumption? How do people justify their smoking habits?
• Health self improvement: Where do consumers go for advice and information about health matters? What are their experience of, and attitudes towards, their healthcare when they are ill? Do today s consumers see a link between stress and health?
• In addition, our study of healthy futures examines government health plans for the future, the way consumers look at their own future health and health typologies with a scenario
• based forecast for the future.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Definitions

Abbreviations

Executive Summary

Even split on healthy eating

The importance of starting young

Working woes

What it says on the label

The pros and cons of convenience

A relaxed approach to weight loss

Exercise in daily life

The link with school sport

Whats good and bad about the gym?

Gym members

Ex-members

Non-users

Younger women drink to excess

-ut things change when children come along

How much is too much?

Smokers know the dangers

-nd they are less healthy

-ut health is not a reason for giving up

Should it be banned?

Its good to talk -but difficult for a man

What to believe? -the role of the media

Reasons to go private: aftercare, cleanliness and respect

Reasons to choose alternative medicine: a listening ear and a range of options

Work, family, household tasks can all cause stress

Stress makes you ill

Looking to tomorrow

The young tend to be fatalistic

Older people want to make the most of whats left

Final note: Are we becoming healthier, or will we decline into 壮lobbishness-

Diet and Eating Patterns

Lifestage, lifestyle and eating habits

• Figure 1: Attitudes towards own diet, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004
• Figure 2: Having a healthy diet versus not paying enough attentinon to diet -percentage point variation, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004

Women are the saviours of a healthy diet

• Figure 3: Attitudes towards own diet, by gender and lifestage group, 2004
• Figure 4: Attitudes towards own diet: Having a healthy diet versus not paying enough attentinon to diet -percentage point variation, by gender and lifesgtage group, 2004

Healthy eating from a grass-roots level

Children: the trigger for healthier eating?

• Figure 5: Attitudes towards own diet, by age of children, 2004
• Figure 6: Attitudes towards own diet: Having a healthy diet versus not paying enough attention to diet -percentage point variation, by age of children, 2004

Parents do not lead by example: Eat as I say -not as I do

The logistics of managing a healthy diet with busy family life

-ut not for the want of trying

Work is not conducive to healthy eating: working adults face difficulties

Temptation

Healthy food not readily available -particular for shift workers

Junk food convenient, thats the problem

• Figure 7: Attitudes towards own diet, by working status, 2004

Healthy eating costs more -doesnt it?

What makes a healthy diet?

Gender bias: Women are the most health-conscious

• Figure 8: Agreement/disagreement that  eat a lot of vegetables by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004

ut retired men catch up with women in the healthy stakes

Pre-/no family men are the worst offenders

• Figure 9: Agreement/disagreement that  eat a lot of vegetables by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Vegetarians and meat avoiders

• Figure 10: Vegetarians and meat avoiders, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004
• Figure 11: Vegetarians and meat avoiders, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Fat and sugar avoiders

• Figure 12: Avoiders of sugar and fat, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004
• Figure 13: Avoiders of sugar and fat, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

little of what you fancy-

• Figure 14: Those agreeing that  like to treat myself to foods that are not good for me- by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004
• Figure 15: Those agreeing that  like to treat myself to foods that are not good for me- by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Chocolate: a womens weakness

-nd caffeine addiction

Do they read the labels?

• Figure 16: Those who read ingredients labels, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004

The importance of checking labels for health reasons among older consumers

• Figure 17: Those who read ingredients labels, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Cynical about foods deemed as healthy

Salt -particularly difficult to avoid

Processed food is mistrusted

-ut has its place, if taken in moderation

Weight and health

• Figure 18: Actual BMI of overweight and obese individuals, by gender, 1993-2003
• Figure 19: Perceptions of own weight, by gender, January 2005

Men are blissfully unaware (or in denial?)

• Figure 20: Perceptions of weight versus actual weight -men, 2003 and 2005
• Figure 21: Perceptions of own weight -men, by lifestage group, January 2005

Predictably, women are the most critical about their weight

• Figure 22: Perceptions of weight versus actual weight -women, 2003 and 2005
• Figure 23: Perceptions of own weight - women, by lifestage group, January 2005
• Figure 24: Those who have felt overweight during the past 12 months, by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004

Weight problems come to the fore in family adults and third agers

• Figure 25: Those who have felt overweight during the past 12 months, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Knowing your own weight -by instinct?

A relaxed approach to weight

• Figure 26: Those who try to lose weight, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Women -under pressure to conform to an deal-body image

Calorie counting and meal skipping

• Figure 27: Those who count calories and those who skip meals to lose weight, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Attitudes towards dieting

• Figure 28: Attitudes towards dieting, by gender, 2004
• Figure 29: Attitudes towards dieting - percentage point variation of gender, 2004

禅oo much attention is paid to appearance nowadays

But a sensible approach to weight loss is needed: verything in moderation

Dieting is hard to fit into everyday life

Families are  up-with being told what is good for them

• Figure 30: Attitudes towards dieting - men, by lifestage group, 2004

Third age women are the most opinionated about healthy eating

• Figure 31: Attitudes towards dieting - women, by lifestage group, 2004

Incentives to go on a weight loss diet

• Figure 32: Reasons for considering going on a weight loss diet, by gender, 2004

Self-esteem is as much of an incentive to weight loss as health -for women

• Figure 33: Reasons for considering going on a weight loss diet -men, by lifestage group, 2004

Health is the biggest incentive for men

• Figure 34: Reasons for considering going on a weight loss diet -women, by lifestage group, 2004
• Figure 35: Top five reasons for going on a weight loss diet, by gender and lifestage, 2004

Preferred methods of weight loss

• Figure 36: Preferred weight loss methods, by gender, 2004

Exercise is the way to go -but not all are enthused by the gym

• Figure 37: Preferred weight loss methods - men, by lifestage group, 2004

Exercise is most favoured by pre-/no family men: more than eight in ten agree

• Figure 38: Preferred weight loss methods -women, by lifestage group, 2004

Pre-/no family women are as much into exercise as pre-/no family men

• Figure 39: Top five preferred methods of weight loss, by gender and lifestage, 2004

The marketing perspective

Exercise and Fitness

Around half of all adults do some form of exercise at least once a week

• Figure 40: Those agreeing that 選 do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week- by gender, socio-economic group and region, 2004

Levels of exercise and lifestage are inextricably linked

• Figure 41: Those agreeing that 選 do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week- by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Exercise in daily life

10,000 steps

Inactive work can be a problem

Sedentary life is 創ot natural

Levels of exercise decline after schooldays

Experiences of sport at school set a precedent for attitudes towards exercise later on in life

Fitness activities

• Figure 42: Those agreeing that 選t is important to me to keep my body in shape by eating properly and doing exercise- ten-year trends, 1995-2005
• Figure 43: Those taking part in specific forms of exercise at least once a week, by gender and lifestage group, 2004
• Figure 44: Those who exercise only at the gym, by gender and lifestage group, January 2005
• Figure 45: Those who use a health and fitness club, by gender and lifestage group, January 2005
• Figure 46: Attitudes of non-users towards health and fitness clubs, by gender, January 2005

Potentially, around 42% of all adults could be persuaded to use the gym

• Figure 47: Attitudes of non-users towards health and fitness clubs -men, by lifestage group, January 2005

Pre-/no family men are the biggest targets for joining a gym

• Figure 48: Attitudes of non-users towards health and fitness clubs -women, by lifestage group, January 2005

-nd pre-/no family women are as keen on the gym as pre-/no family men

Motivations of gym vs non-gym users

Gym users:

Ex-Gym users:

Non-Gym users

How sociable is exercise?

• Figure 49: Those who participate in sport for social reasons, by gender and lifestage group, January 2005

The marketing perspective

Alcohol and Smoking

Alcohol

A rise in frequent drinkers

• Figure 50: Trends in drinking and drinking frequency, 1998-2004

Drinking and lifestage

Inevitably, drinking patterns change once a family begins

Older women reminisce about their younger binge-drinking days

Binge drinking is less of an issue to men

How many units?

• Figure 51: Attitudes towards alcohol, by gender, January 2004

Older men are more likely to see the good in drinking

Alcohol -the great stress buster

• Figure 52: Attitudes towards alcohol - men, by lifestage group, January 2004
• Figure 53: Attitudes towards alcohol - women, by lifestage group, January 2004

Is alcohol good or bad? -confusing messages

• Figure 54: Drinking alcohol at home: attitudes and habits, by gender, January 2004
• Figure 55: Drinking alcohol at home: attitudes and habits -men, by lifestage group, January 2004

Pre-/no family men are the 叢ubbers-and 祖lubbers

• Figure 56: Drinking alcohol at home: attitudes and habits -women, by lifestage group, January 2004

Smoking

A decline in heavy smokers

• Figure 57: Smoking and weight of usage trends, 1998-2004
• Figure 58: Current smoking status, February 2004
• Figure 59: Current smoking status, by gender, socio-economic group and region, February 2004

Smoking -more prevalent among pre-/no family adults

• Figure 60: Current smoking status, by gender and lifestage group, February 2004

Smokers -and their attitudes to smoking

• Figure 61: Attitudes towards smoking cigarettes -smokers, by gender, February 2004

Although the biggest smokers, pre-/no family adults are the most likely to 叢lan to give up smoking one day

• Figure 62: Attitudes towards smoking cigarettes -smokers, by lifestage group, February 2004
• Figure 63: Attitudes of smokers who would like to give up, by gender, February 2004

The smokers 喪outine

Smoking -the stress buster

Ex-smokers

• Figure 64: How and why ex-smokers gave up, by gender, February 2004

Third age smokers-sudden health awareness

The guilt factor -effective as a deterrent to parent smokers

• Figure 65: How and why ex-smokers gave up, by lifestage group, February 2004

Money remains the number one incentive to quit smoking

Reasons for quitting

The health benefits of quitting smoking often go unnoticed

The length of time smoking bears little relation to the difficulty of quitting

-nd the urge to smoke is always there: 壮erial quitters

The effects of smoking on others: even smokers support the ban on smoking in public

Are smokers less healthy?

• Figure 66: The health habits of smokers and non-smokers, 2004

Confirmation: smokers have less healthy lifestyles

-nd get sick more often

• Figure 67: Complaints suffered by smokers and non-smokers, 2004

The marketing perspective

Heal Thyself = 践eal-thy-Self?

General attitudes towards health advice

• Figure 68: Attitudes towards health and lifestyle, by gender, June 2004
• Figure 69: Attitudes towards health and lifestyle -men, by lifestage group, June 2004

Retired men are the most clued up about health

Women are always clued up about health regardless of lifestage

• Figure 70: Attitudes towards health and lifestyle -women, by lifestage, June 2004

Source of advice and information

• Figure 71: Sources of health advice and information, by gender, June 2004

Friends and family

• Figure 72: Those who find it helpful to talk to a friend or family member if they are worried about their health, by gender, socio-economic group and region, June 2004
• Figure 73: Those who find it helpful to talk to a friend or family member if they are worried about their health, by gender and lifestage group, June 2004

The great gender divide: women talk more freely about their health problems

Why dont men talk about health issues?

Men want solutions -women want to talk

Nagging women -the force of persuasion for men to seek medical help

Media advice -helpful or just confusing?

Women feel pressured about their appearance

Newspapers and magazines

• Figure 74: Those who look at medical books, magazines or newspapers for health advice or information, by gender, socio-economic group and region, June 2004

Women are more likely to read about health matters

• Figure 75: Those who look at medical books, magazines or newspapers for health advice or information, by gender and lifestage group, June 2004

Media advice -奏aken with a pinch of salt

Were reaching saturation point

However, a newspaper report could be used as a starting point for further research

Mens apparent 租ismissive-attitude towards health conceals their true concern

Television

The Internet

• Figure 76: Those who have used the Internet to find out about health matters, by gender, socio-economic group and region, June 2004
• Figure 77: Percentage of Internet users who have used the Internet to find out about health matters, by gender, socio-economic group and region, June 2004
• Figure 78: Those who have used the Internet to find out about health matters, by gender and lifestage group, June 2004
• Figure 79: Percentage of Internet users who have used the Internet to find out about health matters, lifestage by gender, region, June 2004

The Internet is great for health issues, but needs to come with a health warning!

Health on the Internet:

Men appreciate the impersonality of the Internet

Pharmacist

Those in the North trust their pharmacist most

• Figure 80: Those who often ask their pharmacist for advice on health matters, by gender, socio-economic group and region, June 2004

Mothers are most likely to seek advice from pharmacists

• Figure 81: Those who often ask their pharmacist for advice on health matters, by gender and lifestage group, June 2004

The consensus -chemists can be useful sources of information and perhaps should be exploited more

Indiscreet surroundings put consumers off seeking advice from pharmacists

GPs

• Figure 82: Those who have consulted their doctor in the last 12 months, by gender, socio-economic group, region and presence of children, 2004

Retired men -most likely to be at the doctors surgery

• Figure 83: Those who have consulted their doctor in the last 12 months, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Polarised views on GPs

What makes a good GP?

And what makes bad ones?

MOTs sought after by men

The private route

• Figure 84: Those who would like private healthcare if they could afford it, by gender, socio-economic group and region, January 2005

Pre-/no family women and retired men -main targets for private healthcare

• Figure 85: Those who would like private healthcare if they could afford it, by gender and lifestage group, January 2005

Experiences of private healthcare

Experiences of NHS -still second to none for very serious illness

Patients felt more respected under private healthcare

Is there an alternative?

• Figure 86: Those who sometimes visit alternative health practitioners (eg osteopaths, aromatherapists), by gender and lifestage group, June 2004
• Figure 87: Attitudes towards herbal remedies/homeopathic medicine, by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Alternative therapists give the full service

Some forms of therapy are considered  girly-for men

A placebo effect?

The role of stress

• Figure 88: Those agreeing that 選m always anxious- by gender and lifestage group, 2004
• Figure 89: Those agreeing that 腺ecause of my busy lifestyle, I dont take care of myself as well as I should- by gender and lifestage group, 2004

Work stress factors

The stress of family life

-erhaps more so for single parents

-nd dealing with housework

But is the stress self-inflicted?

The effects of stress

Anxiety

• Figure 90: The health habits of those who are and are not always anxious- 2004
• Figure 91: Complaints suffered by those who are and are not always anxious- 2004

Dealing with stress

The marketing perspective

Future Conclusions

The next generation

What will tomorrow bring?

Older adults: making the most out of what they have left

Health typologies -dividing the nation

• Figure 92: Health typologies, 2004
• Figure 93: Health typology groups, by gender, age, socio-economic group, region and lifestage, 2004
• Figure 94: Health typology groups, by gender and lifestage, 2004
• Figure 95: Summary of health typology groups, defining features and marketing messages, by gender, age, socio-economic group, marital status, lifestage, working status and household income, 2004
• Figure 96: Health typologies -smoking and alcohol consumption, 2004
• Figure 97: Health typologies -alternative medicine, 2004
• Figure 98: Health typologies -complaints suffered from, 2004

A Scenario-Based Forecast: Are We Becoming Healthier, Or Will We Decline Into lobbishness-

Scenario 1: Static

• Figure 99: Forecast of health typologies, assuming a static scenario, 2004-09

Scenario 2: Optimistic

• Figure 100: Forecast of health typologies, assumiing an optimistic scenario, 2004-09

Scenario 3: Pessimistic

• Figure 101: Forecast of health typologies, assuming a pessmistic scenario, 2004-09
• Figure 102: Index population growth of consumer groups, all scenarios, 2004 and 2009

Final Note: Are we becoming healthier, or will we decline into obbishness-