Abstract
This report focuses on consumer attitudes toward food, with an emphasis on weight and dieting. Using our unique consumer survey and product monitoring tools, Mintel gives the reader an acute sense of how consumers think and behave with respect to food.
Throughout this report, Mintel offers recommendations for marketing to consumers about food, weight loss and dieting. Using Xtreme ad clips, we show how television commercials are currently targeting consumers with weight loss products and suggest overlooked opportunities.
Table of Contents
- Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- Executive Summary
- Key ideas
- Market background
- Consumption trends and behavior
- Weight control--a losing battle
- Attitudes and beliefs about diet and health
- Convenience
- Future trends
- Market Background
- Significant change in consumption patterns
- Figure 1: Average daily per capita calories consumed,* by food group, 1970-2004
- Effects of an aging population
- Figure 2: U.S. resident population, by age, 2000 and 2005
- Family influence is strong
- Figure 3: U.S. resident families, by number of own children under age 18, 2005
- Diseases and associated risk factors
- Figure 4: Diseases and associated risk factors, by race and gender, 2004
- Weight control concerns
- Figure 5: Age-adjusted percent distributions of Body Mass Index (BMI) among persons 18 years of age and over, by gender and age, 2003/04
- Figure 6: Prevalence of overweight* among U.S. children and adolescents (aged 2-19), 1974-2004
- Consumption Trends and Behavior
- Overview
- Dietary guideline changes take hold
- Trans fat initiatives
- Figure 7: Trans fat initiative timeline (selected actions), 2005-07
- Awareness of dietary guidelines
- Figure 8: Awareness of USDA dietary guidelines, by age, February 2007
- Organic foods gain popularity
- Figure 9: Total U.S. retail dollar sales of organic food through FDM and natural supermarket
- Figure 10: Frequency of organic food purchases, 2000 and 2005
- Consumption patterns
- Figure 11: Consumption frequency of selected food groups, February 2007
- Figure 12: Consumption frequency of food groups--mean number of times per week, by age,
- Eating influences
- Figure 13: Influences on eating, by age, February 2007
- Figure 14: Influences on eating, by presence of children, February 2007
- Behavior modification
- Figure 15: Food limitations, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 16: Food limitations, by age, February 2007
- Figure 17: Food limitations, by educational attainment, February 2007
- Are people eating less fast food?
- Figure 18: Trend: Average number of times eaten at fast food/drive in restaurant in last 30 days, 2001-06
- Figure 19: Trend: Incidence of thinking fast food is all junk, 2001-06
- Figure 20: Selected breakfast menu additions, Menu Insights, 2006-07
- Interest in diet trends
- Figure 21: Interest in diet trends, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 22: Interest in diet trends, by age, February 2007
- Figure 23: Interest in diet trends, by race/ethnicity, February 2007
- GNPD food claims: An opportunity to promote preventive foods
- Figure 24: Top ten food claims in new product launches in the U.S., by quarter, 2006
- Weight Control
- Overview
- Perceived weight
- Figure 25: Perceptions of own weight, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 26: TV ad for Everslim featuring mother/doctor testimonial
- Figure 27: TV ad for H-57 featuring "Vito" from the Sopranos
- Figure 28: TV ad for Nutrisystem featuring Dan Marino
- Figure 29: Perceptions of own weight, by age, February 2007
- Prevalence of dieting or weight control
- Figure 30: Prevalence of watching or controlling diet, by key demographics, May 2005-June 2006
- Reasons for watching one' s weight
- Figure 31: Reasons for watching weight, by age, May 2005-June 2006
- Types of foods purchased when watching one' s diet
- Figure 32: Type of foods purchased when watching diet, by age, May 2005-June 2006
- Attitudes and Beliefs About Diet and Health
- Overview
- Purchase decisions
- Figure 33: Factors that influence grocery shopper' s purchase decisions "a lot," 2006
- Figure 34: Food purchase interests and concerns, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 35: Food purchase interests and concerns, by educational attainment, February 2007
- Health, diet beliefs and actions
- Figure 36: Attitudes toward health and diet, by gender, May 2005-June 2006
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward health and diet, by age, May 2005-June 2006
- Figure 38: Attitudes toward health and diet, by educational attainment, May 2005-June 2006
- Challenges to healthy eating
- Figure 39: Major reasons for not eating a healthy diet, 2006
- Influence of eating on health and wellbeing
- Figure 40: Perception of health and looks as they relate to diet, by age, February 2007
- Perceptions of harmfulness of fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar
- Figure 41: Perceived harmfulness of fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar, by gender, February 2007
- Figure 42: Perceived harmfulness of fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar, by age, February 2007
- Food safety
- Figure 43: E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks, 2006
- Figure 44: Acting on food safety warnings, December 2006
- Convenience: Attitudes, Fast Food and Consumer Anomalies
- Overview
- Time pressures
- Figure 45: Time pressures on eating and taking care of self, by gender, May 2005-June 2006
- Figure 46: Time pressures on eating and taking care of self, by age, May 2005-June 2006
- Expenditures on food at home and away from home
- Figure 47: Average annual expenditures per consumer unit, food at home & food away from home,
- Figure 48: New menu items with low calorie, low-fat and/or light claim at QSRs or fast casual
- Frequency of eating out versus eating at home
- Figure 49: Frequency of eating out or cooking at home, February 2007
- Fast food
- Fast food restaurant visitation
- Figure 50: Average visits to fast food restaurants, by key demographics, May 2005-June 2006
- Meals eaten at fast food restaurants
- Figure 51: Fast food meal preferences, by age, May 2005-June 2006
- Intentions vs. actions: Fast-food as part of your weight loss plan?
- Figure 52: Incidence of going to/eating/drinking food and drink establishments/products by dieting/exercise status
- Future Trends
- An aging population
- Figure 53: Projections of U.S. resident population, by age, 2005 and 2015
- Ethnic diversity fuels what attitudes?
- Figure 54: Population, by race and Hispanic origin, 2002-12
- Organic food interest continues to grow; distribution broadens
- Figure 55: Forecast of organic food through FDM and natural supermarket channels, at current and constant prices, 2006-11
- Figure 56: Growth of menu items using natural, naturally raised or organic claims, Menu Insights, Q1 2005-Q2 2006
- Holy grail of diet and health--a continuing quest
- Appendix: Trade Associations
- Appendix: Simmons Cohorts
- Figure 57: Married couples cohorts
- Figure 58: Single women cohorts
- Figure 59: Single men cohorts
