According to a the second in a series of findings from the Meredith/NBC Universal "What do Women Want?", when it comes to health, 56% of women are more concerned about diet/weight and 36% about eating right, while only 23% express the same degree of concern about cancer, 20% about heart health, and 18% about diabetes.
Debbie Reichig, Senior Vice President, Market Development, NBC Universal, notes that "It is particularly important for marketers in the health and wellness category to have a clear understanding of women's behaviors, motivations and thoughts so that the messaging they create will resonate and have enhanced impact."
The nationwide survey among more than 3,000 women reveal key insights on the female psyche across topics including health and well-being. Many women are skipping important medical examinations, annual physicals and screenings:
While most women (68%) like who they are inside and are satisfied with their "identity and development as an individual," only 40% say they are satisfied with their physical appearance and 37% their energy levels.
84% of American women feel they are overweight:
Most women don't want to work too hard to achieve a healthy lifestyle, opting for simple solutions like drinking more water or eating more fruits and vegetables over the more disciplined approaches like exercising regularly, counting calories, and using portion control.
What Women Do to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle | |
| % of Respondents |
Drink more water | 80% |
Eat more fruits and vegatibles | 70 |
Read nutritional labels | 49 |
Avoid foods that are high in fat | 47 |
Make a conscious effort to lower calorie intake | 44 |
Watch my sugar intake | 44 |
Exercise at least three times a week | 43 |
Source: Meredith/NBC Universal, May 2008 |
Also, to improve health and well-being, some women have taken non-traditional approaches such as natural herbs and supplements (26%), bought/adopted a pet (25%), meditation (11%), acupuncture (4%), visited a hypnotist (1%).
But wait...
Diane Salvatore, editor in chief, Ladies' Home Journal, concludes "While staying fit and trim definitely contributes to overall good health, it's only a piece of a proactively healthy lifestyle... These findings should be a wakeup call to American women..."
Please visit Meredith here to review the complete release, and find more information about the study.