Overwhelmed Consumers Need Realistic Solutions to Manage Weight

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• Overwhelmed Consumers Need Realistic Solutions to
  Manage Weight

Laura Hatch, MPH, CHES Michele Tuttle, MPH,
RD Society for Nutrition Education July 27, 2005
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Todays Focus

• What is the role of communications?
• How can we, as communicators, help health
  professionals, educators, and physical activity
  professionals?

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Session Goals

• Share learning from consumer research
• Consumer Views on Weight Management
• Message Testing
• Discuss how to put consumer research into action

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International Food InformationCouncil (IFIC) and
IFIC Foundation

• Mission
• To communicate science-based information on food
  safety and nutrition issues to health
  professionals, media, educators and government
  officials.
• Primarily supported by the broad-based food,
  beverage and agricultural industries.

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The Dietary Guidelines Alliance
1995

• The American Dietetic Association
• International Food Information Council
• National Dairy Council
• National Pork Producers Council
• The Sugar Association

• Food Marketing Institute
• National Cattlemen's Beef Association
• National Food Processors Association
• Produce Marketing Association
• Society for Nutrition Education
• Wheat Foods Council

In Liaison With U. S. Department of
Agriculture U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services - Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion - Office of Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion - Cooperative State Research,
Education - U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and Extension Services
- U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
- National Institutes of Health
- Presidents Council on Physical Fitness
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Consumer Research on Healthy Eating Physical
Activity Weight Management

• Portion Control
• Dietary Guidelines Alliance
• Its All About You
• Dietary Guidelines Alliance

• Healthy Weight
• IFIC Foundation
• Energy Balance
• Dietary Guidelines Alliance

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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The Obesity Epidemic
What Are Consumers Saying?
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The Root Cause of Obesity is Simple An
imbalance between calories in and calories
outBut...
IFIC Foundation, 2004
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The Social Factors Contributing to the
Imbalance are Complex

• Changing food habits
• Declining physical activity in the home and in
  schools
• Increasing sedentary habits
• Changing physical environment

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Life Priorities
Today
1995

• Family
• Religion/spirituality
• Education/jobs
• Personal goals
• Health
• Leisure

• Family/Children
• Home
• Work/career
• Health
• Religion/spirituality
• Finances/income
• Relaxation/entertainment

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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What is a Healthy Person
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Today Whats Healthy, Whats Not
Unhealthy
Healthy

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

• 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.
IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Holistic View of Health

• Health is viewed holistically physical, mental
  emotional
• Health is about overall wellness mind, body,
  and spirit. (Female, Chicago)
• Good health means feeling good right now being
  free of disease and able to perform daily
  functions

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Health Where Consumers See Themselves Now
See Themselves Here
Unhealthy
Healthy
IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Health Where Consumers Want To Be
Want To Be Here
Unhealthy
Healthy
IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barriers to Better Health
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Barrier Lifestyles are Overwhelming

• Consumers are rushed and harried, their
  lifestyles do not always reflect their
  priorities, esp. health
• It ends up that you never get very much me
  time. (Male, Baltimore)
• There are some things in the day that you have to
  do and some things that you want to do. Often,
  the things you want to do get left out. (Female,
  Baltimore)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Parents in Particular are Time Crunched

• Family demands come first leaving little time for
  self care
• Until my kids get older and dont need me as
  much, my responsibilities are somewhere else.
  (Female, Chicago)
• Few feel their sacrifice is harmful

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Convenience Drives Parents Lifestyle

• Rely on easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat foods
  for needed speed and flexibility
• Move through the grocery store on autopilot
• Physical activity must fit into family routine
  or it just wont happen

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier The D Words Dieting and Denial

• Consumers dont want to deny themselves favorite
  foods
• Diet is a dirty word. (Female, Chicago)
• Diet means suffering and giving up the things you
  like. (Male, Baltimore)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Health Weight Loss Can Mean Two
Different Things

• Many consumers are willing to participate in
  unhealthful behaviors in order to lose weight
• Fresh fruits are healthy in my mind. I really
  love fruit but I tend to avoid them because they
  are high in carbs. I really miss eating fruit.
  (Female, Chicago)
• Cutting carbs is the easiest way to maintain and
  lose weight. I dont have to exercise at all.
  (Male, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Results Take Too Long

• Consumers want instant gratification
• The trouble with staying motivated for me is that
  I need to see quick results and that doesnt
  always happen, even when youre working on it.
  (Male, Chicago)
• If I start a new program and dont see immediate
  results, I get discouraged and impatient.
  (Female, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Habits Dont Change with Age

• Consumers know their bodies are changing, but
  arent doing much about it
• Twenty years ago, my boss said Id put on weight
  once I hit my thirties and he was right. (Male,
  Chicago)
• Its in the back of my mindI know sooner or
  later Ill change my habits. (Woman, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Barrier Motivation Missing for Many

• Information doesnt translate to action
• Its not like we dont know what to do, but we
  just dont do it we could all write a book on
  what youre not supposed to do. (Female, Chicago)
• Until I come down to that mental motivating
  signal that tells me to start doing it, then,
  well, its not going to happen. (Male, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Potential Motivators to Better Health
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Motivator Appearance

• Triggers strong emotional response
• Women focus on clothes
• Its awful when your clothes dont fit anymore
  its just an awful feeling. (Female, Baltimore)
• Men take a broader view
• It motivates me when I see Mens Health magazine
  with pictures of guys who are cut. (Male,
  Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Motivator Family

• Being there for loved ones
• When Im running after my kids and Im out of
  breath, it makes me wonder if Im going to see
  them graduate. (Male, Baltimore)
• I want to be able to bounce my grandkids on my
  knee. (Male, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Motivator Being a Role Model for Kids

• Parents are concerned about how their habits
  impact their kids
• I want to set a good example for my daughter.
  Shes a little on the larger side for her age,
  and I dont want her to grow up worrying about
  her weight. (Female, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Motivator Future Health Issues

• But worries dont translate into action
• I think more about my health now that I cant do
  as much I cant run up and down the stairs and
  I have problems with arthritis. (Female,
  Chicago)
• Things might not be affecting me now, but if I
  dont watch myself, things could catch up with me
  later. Diabetes runs in my family. (Male,
  Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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MOVING INTO MESSAGING
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Communication Concepts

• Being a family role model
• Achieving energy balance
• Portion size
• Its All About You

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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If Family is First, Appeal to the Family
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What Consumers Said

• Kids learn by example. Show them how to eat
  right and be fit by sharing meals and playing
  actively together whenever possible. Even small
  amounts of time make a difference.
• Parents arent always the best role models
• I think theres a truth and falsehood to this
  idea. Its true were eating a healthy dinner so
  our kids see that, but they dont see us eating
  the ice cream after they go to bed. (Female,
  Baltimore)

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Communication Concepts

• Being a family role model
• Achieving energy balance
• Portion size
• Its All About You

IFIC Foundation, 2003
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• Energy Balance Nutrition Communications

ENERGY OUT
ENERGY IN

Dietary Guidelines Alliance Energy Balance
Consumer Research
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What Consumers Said

• Your body weight results from a balancing act
  between how much you eat and how much you move.
  Changing either one affects your weight.
• Consumers get it
• Its really a very simple idea. If you eat less
  and exercise, you lose weight. If you eat more
  and dont exercise, you gain it. It boggles my
  mind that people find this complicated. (Male,
  Baltimore)
• But arent inspired
• This one doesnt really change anything for me.
  I know this, but I wouldnt call it particularly
  encouraging. (Female, Chicago)

IFIC Foundation, 2003
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Energy Balance Opportunity Challenge

• Energy, Balance are considered positive by
  consumers, but they are viewed more holistically
  than thermodynamics
• A good combination of physical health, eating and
  working out, and mental health Maintain Balance
• Balanced is about feeling better, looking better,
  and being happier. Trouble Stabilizing

Energy ? Calories
Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2004
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Barriers to Calorie Messages

• Consumers react unfavorably to counting calories
• I started to count calories and then I stopped.
  Its hard.
• Maintain Balance
• No one wants to count calories, its hard, you
  dont even want to eat. You need a scale and a
  measure scale. Trouble Stabilizing

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2004
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Barriers to Calorie Messages

• Very few consumers connect calories with physical
  activity output
• The machines tell you how many calories you are
  burning. Trouble Stabilizing
• It doesnt seem logical that its only a small
  amount youre burning. When you walk you only
  burn 150 calories, but you can shove in the food.
  It doesnt seem fair. Maintain Balance

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2004
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Communications Concepts

• Being a family role model
• Achieving energy balance
• Portion size
• Its All About You

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Portion Size
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Awareness of Food Intake

• Participants acknowledged that they eat too much
  but it does not motivate them to change their
  eating habits.
• I dont think about it managing what I eat at
  the time until Im done and say, Boy, I
  shouldnt have eaten all that. But while Im
  eating it, I dont. (Baltimore, Guilty)

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2002
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Awareness of Portion/Serving Size

• The terms portion size and serving size are
  used inter-changeably
• I think its equal. If you take a portion of a
  chicken, that is a serving. One serving is equal
  to one portion. (Baltimore, Confident)
• When they say serving size, typically that is
  smaller than an average adult would eat. But a
  portion for me, if its something I like, might
  be this whole plate, as opposed to a portion to
  someone else. (Chicago, Guilty)

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2002
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Awareness of Portion/Serving Size

• Serving size information on nutrition labels and
  the Food Guide Pyramid is perceived as
  impractical.
• The serving size on the box is always too
  small. Its more for a child. Youve got little
  bitty servings. (Chicago, Guilty)

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2002
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Consumer Tips on Managing Portions

• Participants were generally aware of any number
  of strategies/tips that can be used to manage
  portion sizes (provided unaided)
• Use a serving spoon to measure a portion
• Use a deck of cards/fist to determine a portion
  size
• Use smaller plates
• Eat less food but more frequently
• But they rarely implement them
• I dont do that every day look at portion
  sizes. I dont look at it every meal.
  (Chicago, Confident)

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2002
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Dont Tell Me What to Do

• There was a general sense among participants of
  dont tell me what to do.
• Participants said they dont want to follow
  guidelines on food nutrition labels or the Food
  Guide Pyramid just because someone else tells
  them to.
• I never follow rules and regulations. It is
  hard, it is not fun. (Chicago, Confident)

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2002
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Communications Concepts

• Being a family role model
• Achieving energy balance
• Portion size
• Its All About You

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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Its All About You
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BE REALISTIC Make small changes overtime in what
you eat and the level of activity you do. After
all, small changes work better than giant leaps
BE ADVENTUROUS Expand your tastes to enjoy a
variety of foods
BE FLEXIBLE Balance what you eat and the
physical activity you do over several days. No
need to worry about just one meal or one day
BE SENSIBLE Enjoy all foods, just dont over do it
BE ACTIVE Walk the dog, dont just watch the dog
walk
Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 1995
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Its All About You Tips

• Keep tips positive, short and simple
• No one tip by itself is effective for all people
• Tips should demonstrate a benefit
• Make tips interesting and achievable
• Tips should not appear to be overly permissive

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 1995
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Its All About YouStill Powerful After All These
Years

• It is a positive message. It makes sense. It is
  forward-looking. Maintain Balance
• I like it. It is motivating. Trouble
  Stabilizing
• Reminds me not to be so hard on myself. To keep
  things in perspective. Maintain Balance
• It is good reinforcement. We know all this but
  we need encouragement. Maintain Balance
• Everyones day is different. You have to make
  choices that will work for you. Maintain Balance

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 2004
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Key Findings Implications
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What Have We Covered So Far?

• Adult views, especially parents with children at
  home, on health and weight management
• Life Priorities, Barriers Motivators
• Communications Concepts Messages

Dietary Guidelines Alliance, 1995
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What We Learned Receptiveness to Change

• Some Consumers
• Get it
• Take steps to better health
• Need positive reinforcement and new ideas
• Dont get it, but want to
• Struggle to improve
• Receptive to help and ideas
• Dont get it and dont want to
• Not open to change
• Leave them alone for now

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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What Weve Learned from ConsumersHealth and
Weight Issues

• Health important, but not 1 priority
• Information does not bridge to action
• Keep messages positive
• Address lifestyle issues

IFIC Foundation, 2004
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We Asked Consumers What They Need. . .
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For More Information, ContactInternational
Food Information Council(IFIC) Foundation1100
Connecticut Avenue, NWSuite 430Washington, DC
20036Phone [phone]E-Mail
hatch_at_ific.org
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Research Sources

• Addressing the Obesity Debate IFIC Foundation
• http//www.ific.org/research/obesityres.cfm
• Energy Balance Dietary Guidelines Alliance
• http//www.ific.org/research/energybalres.cfm
• Consumer Attitudes Regarding Portion Management
  Dietary Guidelines Alliance
• http//www.ific.org/research/portionres.cfm

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• Now, Its Your Turn . . .