Twice As Many Moms Say They Are Concerned About Their Own Weight Than That Of Their Children, But Grocery Purchases Are Driven By Health & Nutrition For The Entire Family

CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- An exclusive survey of more than 1000 women by Womensforum.com reveals that over a third (36%) of moms say that they are regularly concerned about childhood obesity in their home. However, twice as many (70%) admit that they are typically worried about their own weight. That figure also corresponds to the level of weight anxiety among women who are neither a parent nor have children currently living in their household (73%).

In contrast, looking at health, diet and nutrition in the grocery cart, several factors are regularly considered by moms when making purchasing decisions for the entire family as well as themselves, including foodstuffs being low in calories (70%), low fat or fat-free (69%), and locally sourced/manufactured (68%). More than three-quarters (79%) were also interested in protein-rich foods. The numbers are strikingly similar when it comes to the grocery considerations that moms make when buying food that is meant solely for adults in their household.

"It may appear surprising that moms seem to be more concerned about their own weight rather than their children's, but if you look at what they actually buy at the supermarket, it becomes clear that they view health and nutrition differently from dieting and calorie-cutting," said Andrea Metcalf, Health and Fitness Expert, Womensforum.com "Moreover, by making sure that they maintain a healthy weight themselves, moms are providing a vital example to their kids – one that will hopefully inspire them to be fit and healthy adults." 

In addition, the study finds that two out of five moms (41%) regularly turn to the internet to review news and information about healthy eating and nutrition for their children. The numbers are much the same for moms frequently going online to get the latest on those same topics in relation to adults (46%). In contrast, when it comes to honing in on specific news and updates about dieting and calorie counting, significantly more moms are routinely going online for info about adults rather than kids (39% vs. 23%).

"Disparities between moms' worries over their weight versus that of their kids aside, the fact is that healthy eating and being fit is a clear priority," said Mark Kaufman, Founder and CEO, Womensforum.com.  "This is reflected in the importance that mothers place in what goes into their shopping carts, as well as the fact that they go online frequently to get the latest on nutrition and healthy foods for themselves and their family. Marketers need to embrace these priorities and understand critical nuances in the way that moms perceive and balance specific weight worries with concerns centered on the broader subject of health."

To review the complete survey findings, please visit www.womensforum.com/weightvshealth.

Methodology 
Fielded May - June 2014, 1,054 female respondents completed the online survey. Participants included 783 mothers who have at least one child still living at home, as well as 271 women that either have no children or no longer have any children living in their household. The study was conducted across the Womensforum.com family of sites, which reaches a worldwide audience of over 39 million.

About Womensforum.com
Founded in 1996, Womensforum.com (http://www.womensforum.com) was the first community of sites focused on women. Since then, it has cultivated a targeted, scalable audience of over 39 million globally that appeals to marketers looking to reach women where they spend time and engage online.

SOURCE Womensforum.com