Consumer Insights on Consumer Insights on

Health and Weight ManagementHealth and Weight Management

Seeking Communications that Make a DifferenceSeeking Communications that Make a Difference

Diane Quagliani, MBA, RDDiane Quagliani, MBA, RDrepresentingrepresenting

International Food Information Council International Food Information Council (IFIC) (IFIC)

and IFIC Foundationand IFIC Foundation

Diane Quagliani, MBA, RDDiane Quagliani, MBA, RDrepresentingrepresenting

International Food Information Council International Food Information Council (IFIC) (IFIC)

and IFIC Foundationand IFIC Foundation

International Food InformationInternational Food InformationCouncil (IFIC) and IFIC FoundationCouncil (IFIC) and IFIC Foundation

Mission:Mission: To communicate science-To communicate science-based information on food safety based information on food safety and nutrition issues to health and nutrition issues to health professionals, journalists, educators professionals, journalists, educators and government officials.and government officials.

Primarily supported by the broad-based food, Primarily supported by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries.beverage and agricultural industries.

What We’ll CoverWhat We’ll Cover

Hearing from consumers about health and Hearing from consumers about health and weight issuesweight issues

• Consumer research Consumer research PrioritiesPriorities BarriersBarriers MotivatorsMotivators

• ““People on the street”People on the street”

How we can helpHow we can help

Meet Our “People on the Street”Meet Our “People on the Street”Their Views on the Obesity EpidemicTheir Views on the Obesity Epidemic

How Do We Start Moving How Do We Start Moving toward a Solution to a Complex toward a Solution to a Complex

Issue?Issue?

IFIC: In Search of Research-Based IFIC: In Search of Research-Based Communications SolutionsCommunications Solutions

Focus Groups

Ethnographies

Quantitative Surveys

Adults

Children

Health Professionals

Consumer Research Consumer Research ObjectivesObjectives

How do consumers think and feel How do consumers think and feel about health, weight and weight about health, weight and weight management?management?

What are perceived barriers and What are perceived barriers and motivators to weight motivators to weight management?management?

Design and MethodologyDesign and Methodology Adults 35-55 Adults 35-55 Income: $25-80K Income: $25-80K

Parents & Non-parents “Succeeders” & “Strugglers”Parents & Non-parents “Succeeders” & “Strugglers”Total N = 111Total N = 111

Focus GroupsFocus GroupsExploratoryExploratory

8 Focus 8 Focus Groups Groups (N=68)(N=68)

April-May April-May 20032003

ChicagoChicago

BaltimoreBaltimore

Ethnographic Ethnographic StudiesStudiesIn-home In-home interviewsinterviews

Preliminary Preliminary message message testingtesting

6 Families6 Families

(N=12)(N=12)2-Parent 2-Parent

HouseholdsHouseholds

Sept-Oct Sept-Oct 20032003

ChicagoChicago

AtlantaAtlanta

Focus GroupsFocus GroupsIn-depth In-depth message message testingtesting

4 Focus 4 Focus Groups Groups (N=31)(N=31)ParentsParents

Nov 2003Nov 2003 ChicagoChicago

BaltimoreBaltimore

Consumer Views on Health Consumer Views on Health and Weight Managementand Weight Management

Life & PrioritiesLife & Priorities

In General

Home

Work/career

Health

Religion/spirituality

Finances/income

Relaxation/entertainment

Parents

Children/family Home

Work/career

Health

Religion/spirituality

Finances/income

Relaxation/entertainment

What’s Healthy, What’s NotWhat’s Healthy, What’s Not

Healthy

• Active• Energetic• Confident• Smiling• Good complexion• Good posture• Bright and wide-eyed• Works out/is fit• Positive attitude• Well-rested

Unhealthy

Overweight Unkempt Smokes/drinks/does drugs Walks slowly Dejected, holds head down Bundle of nerves Lays on couch Out of breath Dull skin Depressed/negative

vs.

Health: Where Consumers See Health: Where Consumers See Themselves NowThemselves Now

Unhealthy Healthy

See Themselves Here

Health: Where Consumers Health: Where Consumers Want Want To BeTo Be

Unhealthy Healthy

Want To Be Here

Barriers to Better HealthBarriers to Better Health

Barrier: Parents are Time CrunchedBarrier: Parents are Time Crunched

Family demands come Family demands come first leaving little time first leaving little time for self carefor self care• Until my kids get older Until my kids get older

and don’t need me as and don’t need me as much, my much, my responsibilities are responsibilities are somewhere else. somewhere else. (Female, Chicago)(Female, Chicago)

Few feel their Few feel their “sacrifice” is harmful“sacrifice” is harmful

Barrier: Convenience Barrier: Convenience Drives Parents’ LifestyleDrives Parents’ Lifestyle

Rely on easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat Rely on easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat foods for needed speed and flexibility foods for needed speed and flexibility

Move through the grocery store on Move through the grocery store on “autopilot” “autopilot”

Physical activity must “fit” into family Physical activity must “fit” into family routine or it just won’t happenroutine or it just won’t happen

Barrier: The “D” Words: Barrier: The “D” Words: Dieting and DenialDieting and Denial

Consumers don’t want to deny Consumers don’t want to deny themselves favorite foodsthemselves favorite foods• Diet is a dirty word. (Female, Chicago)Diet is a dirty word. (Female, Chicago)• Diet means suffering and giving up the Diet means suffering and giving up the

things you like. (Male, Baltimore)things you like. (Male, Baltimore)

Barrier: Results Take Too LongBarrier: Results Take Too Long

Consumers want “instant Consumers want “instant gratification”gratification”

• The trouble with staying The trouble with staying motivated for me is that I need motivated for me is that I need to see quick results and that to see quick results and that doesn’t always happen, even doesn’t always happen, even when you’re working on it. when you’re working on it. (Male, Chicago)(Male, Chicago)

• If I start a new program and If I start a new program and don’t see immediate results, I don’t see immediate results, I get discouraged and impatient. get discouraged and impatient. (Female, Chicago)(Female, Chicago)

Barrier: Motivation Missing for ManyBarrier: Motivation Missing for Many

Information doesn’t translate Information doesn’t translate to actionto action

• It’s not like we don’t know what It’s not like we don’t know what to do, but we just don’t do it – to do, but we just don’t do it – we could all write a book on we could all write a book on what you’re not supposed to do. what you’re not supposed to do. (Female, Chicago)(Female, Chicago)

• Until I come down to that Until I come down to that mental motivating signal that mental motivating signal that tells me to start doing it, then, tells me to start doing it, then, well, it’s not going to happen. well, it’s not going to happen. (Male, Chicago)(Male, Chicago)

Potential Motivators to Better HealthPotential Motivators to Better Health

Motivator: AppearanceMotivator: Appearance

Triggers strong emotional Triggers strong emotional responseresponse

Women focus on clothesWomen focus on clothes• It’s awful when your It’s awful when your

clothes don’t fit anymore – clothes don’t fit anymore – it’s just an awful feeling. it’s just an awful feeling. (Female, Baltimore)(Female, Baltimore)

Men take a broader viewMen take a broader view• It motivates me when I see It motivates me when I see

Men’s Health magazine Men’s Health magazine with pictures of guys who with pictures of guys who are cut.are cut. (Male, Chicago)(Male, Chicago)

Motivator: FamilyMotivator: Family

Being there for loved Being there for loved onesones• When I’m running after When I’m running after

my kids and I’m out of my kids and I’m out of breath, it makes me breath, it makes me wonder if I’m going to wonder if I’m going to see them graduate. see them graduate. (Male, Baltimore)(Male, Baltimore)

• I want to be able to I want to be able to bounce my grandkids bounce my grandkids on my knee. (Male, on my knee. (Male, Chicago)Chicago)

Motivator: Being a Role Model for KidsMotivator: Being a Role Model for Kids

Parents are concerned Parents are concerned about how their habits about how their habits impact their kidsimpact their kids

• I want to set a good I want to set a good example for my example for my daughter. She’s a little daughter. She’s a little on the larger side for on the larger side for her age, and I don’t her age, and I don’t want her to grow up want her to grow up worrying about her worrying about her weight. (Female, weight. (Female, Chicago)Chicago)

Motivator: Future Health IssuesMotivator: Future Health Issues

But worries don’t But worries don’t translate into actiontranslate into action

• I think more about my I think more about my health now that I can’t health now that I can’t do as much – I can’t run do as much – I can’t run up and down the stairs up and down the stairs and I have problems and I have problems with arthritis. (Female, with arthritis. (Female, Chicago)Chicago)

• Things might not be Things might not be affecting me now, but if affecting me now, but if I don’t watch myself, I don’t watch myself, things could catch up things could catch up with me later. Diabetes with me later. Diabetes runs in my family. runs in my family. (Male, Chicago)(Male, Chicago)

Key Findings from ConsumersKey Findings from Consumers

Health important, but Health important, but not #1 prioritynot #1 priority

Want improved health, Want improved health, but not “perfection”but not “perfection”

Have information, but Have information, but don’t actdon’t act

Major barrier: Too much Major barrier: Too much to do, too little time to do, too little time

Major motivator: Stay Major motivator: Stay healthy for familyhealthy for family

Consumers Want Consumers Want

and Need Helpand Need Help

How Can We Help Consumers?How Can We Help Consumers?

Know your audienceKnow your audience

Target those who want Target those who want helphelp

Address lifestyle issuesAddress lifestyle issues

• Customize whenever Customize whenever possiblepossible

How Can We Help Consumers?How Can We Help Consumers?

Help remove barriersHelp remove barriers

• Small steps to startSmall steps to start• Quick and easy ideas Quick and easy ideas

Focus on motivatorsFocus on motivators

• Happy, healthy family Happy, healthy family

Be positive!Be positive!

ific.orgific.org

To Learn MoreTo Learn More

IFC Foundation IFC Foundation Web SiteWeb Site

Phone 202-296-6540Phone 202-296-6540E-Mail E-Mail obesity@ific.org

Consumer Insights on Consumer Insights on

Health and Weight ManagementHealth and Weight Management

Seeking Communications that Make a DifferenceSeeking Communications that Make a Difference

Diane Quagliani, MBA, RDDiane Quagliani, MBA, RDrepresentingrepresenting

International Food Information Council International Food Information Council (IFIC) (IFIC)

and IFIC Foundationand IFIC Foundation

Diane Quagliani, MBA, RDDiane Quagliani, MBA, RDrepresentingrepresenting

International Food Information Council International Food Information Council (IFIC) (IFIC)

and IFIC Foundationand IFIC Foundation