New HealthFocus® International Study Reveals Five Very Different Weight Management Consumers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- One size does not fit all when it comes to addressing the increasing waistlines of the U.S. consumer. According to a recent HealthFocus® International study on weight management, consumers differ not only in the amount of weight they need to lose, but also in their motivations and in the amount of emotional difficulty they face in losing weight.   

"New approaches to combatting obesity are essential, so we wanted to provide actionable information in this study," acknowledges Barbara Katz, President of HealthFocus® International, "This is especially important in light of recent estimates from the Duke University study putting obesity rates at 42% by 2030. One way to be more effective at addressing this issue may be to individualize the approach to weight management."

The study uncovered five segments of consumers, each with very different needs:

1. Active Maintainers are mostly moderately overweight, in control and fairly consistent about taking steps to maintain their weight.
2. Emotional Seekers are very unsatisfied with their bodies, and emotion plays a huge part in weight loss for this group.  They have a strong desire for change, and they are more willing to try different approaches.
3. Practical Reducers are also highly unsatisfied with how they look but they are   more empowered. 
4. Health Driven consumers usually have a high body mass index (BMI) and lots of health issues, which drives them to find solutions.
5. Nonchalants are just that - nonchalant about managing their weight.  They often feel they are at the right weight already, or just need to lose a few pounds but they don't feel they need to focus on their weight.

The study revealed interesting information about attitudes toward weight management as well. Seventy-six percent of the respondents in the study admitted that they simply love to eat. In fact, 37% blame the fact that they "love to eat and don't want to give it up" as one reason why they can't lose weight. Other key reasons cited for excess weight were lack of exercise and too much stress.  One-third of consumers believe that they often deal with "overwhelming" stress levels. 

About HealthFocus® International
HealthFocus® International offers full-service marketing research capabilities specializing in understanding consumer attitudes towards health and nutrition and helping to apply those insights to brand development and innovation. The HealthFocus® database, dating back nearly 20 years, is the largest global database available on shopper health and nutrition. The syndicated HealthFocus® Trend Survey, conducted in the U.S. and 18 other markets, is the most in-depth, up-to-date study of its kind.

HealthFocus® International is a division of Irwin Broh Research, Chicago, IL.

SOURCE HealthFocus International