Majority of Americans Do Not Make New Year's Resolutions According to National Survey

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- At the beginning of every new year, we always hear about people making New Year's resolutions. But surprising findings reveal a majority of American adults don't actually make them! According to a recent national survey* sponsored by Nestle® Raisinets®, less than one-third (32%) of American adults will make New Year's resolutions in 2012. Moreover, of those who will, 60% already know they will break them at some point in the new year.

Regardless of whether or not Americans make resolutions, health is still top of mind for the new year. According to survey results, a whopping three-fourths (75%) of American adults are planning to lose weight in 2012. But some interesting findings are revealed about the ways American adults prefer to lose weight.

• Americans Want To Kick Up The Cardio: When asked about the optimal way to lose weight in 2012, among those who plan to do so, "kick up the cardio" (i.e. increasing cardio exercise) led the pack with 33%.
  • Eating smaller portions came in second at 30%.
  • Choosing "healthy" over "hearty" finished third with 28%.
    
• Americans Prefer to Lose Weight Solo: Americans who plan to lose weight in 2012, plan to do so without a partner. Only 6% of those surveyed said their optimal way to lose weight would be partnering with a friend. Even more surprising, of those who plan to partner with a friend, respondents who are single and have never married (10%) were twice as likely to partner with a friend vs. their married (5%) counterparts!
  
• Age Matters: Optimal ways to lose weight vary by age.
  • American adults age 55+ who plan to lose weight in 2012 (41%) were twice as likely to choose "eating smaller portions" than 18-34 year-olds (20%).
  • And those 18-34 year-old (39%) were nearly twice as likely to "kick up the cardio" as their optimal way to lose weight, and six times as likely to partner with a friend as those 55+ (23%).
     

Lastly "Deprive Myself and Hope for the Best" was the least popular choice among Americans who plan to lose weight in 2012. With only 3% choosing deprivation as the optimal way to lose weight, Americans are getting smarter about shedding those extra pounds.

"It's great to know that Americans are continuing to educate themselves about healthy food choices, but we all know deprivation equals diet disaster," said Tricia Bowles, Nestle Confections & Snacks. "Indulgent treats are part of the joy of eating and Raisinets is a great choice with plump California raisins covered in milk and dark chocolate. The perfectly balanced treat for guilt-free snacking in the New Year!"

Nestle Raisinets provide real fruit in each serving and are a natural source of fruit antioxidants. With 30% less fat than the other leading chocolate brands, Raisinets can be enjoyed as a delicious treat straight out of the package or as an excellent addition to your favorite recipes.

For information on NESTLE RAISINETS, more national survey findings, and delicious recipes featuring RAISINETS visit www.facebook.com/Raisinets.

* The Nestle Raisinets New Year Health Survey was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Nestle from December 6th-8th, 2011 to a nationally representative sample of 2,246 American adults aged 18+.

About Nestle USA

Named one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for fourteen consecutive years, Nestle provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day.  From nutritious meals with LEAN CUISINE® to baking traditions with NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE®, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about.  Well-known Nestle USA brands include: NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE®, NESTLE® NESQUIK®, NESTLE® COFFEE-MATE®, STOUFFER'S®, LEAN CUISINE®, HOT POCKETS® and LEAN POCKETS® brand sandwiches, NESCAFE®, NESTLE® JUICY JUICE®, BUITONI®, DREYER'S/EDY'S®, NESTLE® CRUNCH®, NESTLE® BUTTERFINGER®, WONKA®, DIGIORNO®, TOMBSTONE® and CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN® frozen pizza.  Nestle USA, with 2010 sales of $10.4 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world's largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2010 sales of $105 billion.  For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Nestle from December 6th-8th, 2011 among 2,246 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Alex Jessup.

All trademarks are owned by Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey, Switzerland unless otherwise noted.

Media Contacts:
Nestle Confections & Snacks (A Division of Nestle USA)
Tricia Bowles, 818.549.5817, [email protected]       

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide for Nestle
Caitlin Martin, 310.280.2459, [email protected]
Alex Jessup, 310.280.2451, [email protected]  

SOURCE Nestle Raisinets