Motivations to stay healthy

The annual research conducted by The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) among US Boomers provides some interesting insights into why Americans (well some Americans) are concerned about their health.

The main health worries are the need to lose weight (40%), high blood pressure (35%), joint pain (30%) and high cholesterol (29%).

The above chart shows the factors motivating this group to try and stay healthy.

When you think that each of these factors represents billions of dollars of consumer spend, it is worth taking seriously. Dick Stroud

Work those pecks and neurons

Neuroscience is back in the spotlight again, this time on the front cover of Newsweek in an article titled Stronger, Faster, Smarter. The article reports on work being done at the University of Illinois to establish the relationship between physical exercise and improved brain fitness.

Read the neurosciencemarketing blog for the full story.

The writer concludes that: “Once the marketing cranks up for “brain fitness by exercise” the main beneficiaries will be health clubs and treadmill manufacturers. I’m sure we’ll see plenty of fitness marketing activity aimed primarily at baby-boomers who have plenty of disposable income and are at an age when steps to avoid cognitive decline are increasingly seen as important”. This sounds like good advice. Dick Stroud.

Charles Eugster, 87, goes wakeboarding for the first time

Maple and Leek is a social networking company that is in its initial phases of construction and content acquisition. A couple of months back it sponsored groups of older people to try a new experience and one that is not usually associated with being an oldie.

This is one of first video clips that have been released on the company’s YouTube channel. What a character. Dick Stroud.

A sure way of making a million

Eons survey of Boomer fitness comes to an unsurprising age-neutral conclusion about Boomer male fitness. The main area for ‘attention’, for Boomer guys, is their stomach. I don’t normally use photos of the family but I thought I would demonstrate that the Stroud household dosen't fall into this category (joke).

So all aspiring Boomer entrepreneurs. Forget all of this nonsense about making your fortune out of social networking or anti-ageing cream. Come up with a sure fired way of giving the older guy a six-pack stomach and you will make a fortune. Dick Stroud

How to delight women, gays and baby boomers

If you don’t, you should subscribe to the newsletter from Trendwatching, which is an opinionated consumer trends firm that takes a global view on what is driving consumer behaviour and most importantly consumer spending. I really like its style and the scope of its coverage – like the comment about the photo. Yes, we know these pictures are cheesy.

This month’s edition has the eye catching title of “How to delight women, gays and baby boomers”.

It is has some good examples of what is going on with the boomer consumers and the products that are tempting them in the categories of dating, health, travel, homes and housing plus another half a dozen product groups. Definitely worth a look.

What it doesn’t do – I suspect because of space problems – is to look at the interaction of these three groups. Now that is really interesting and a subject I am going to blog a lot more about. Dick Stroud

Highest peaks and marathons on the seven continents

I have been in contact with Jeanne Stawiecki for the last year or so. She has just reached the summit of Mt. Everest. With this accomplishment, she became the first woman in the world to summit the highest peak and complete marathons on each of the seven continents.

I have staggered to an altitude of 5,000 ft below the height of Everest. Believe me it is hard. The thought of doing this and the other highest peaks plus running seven marathons is beyond my comprehension. I am in awe of her achievement. Sorry, nearly forgot. Jeanne is 56 years old. Dick Stroud.

50-plus fitness - fantasy or fact?

Fitness First, claims to be the largest gym, health and fitness club group in the world, has done a survey (8,000 respondents)

Over 93% of the over-50s claim to ate healthily, 84% said they were careful about alcohol consumption and three-quarters avoided additives in food. A total of 55% were content with their body shape and nearly four in five had a good work/life balance.

For the 18-29 year old group, 79% claimed they ate sensibly and 69% said they drank in moderation.

Surprisingly 62% were satisfied with their physique but just over two-thirds of this group were happy with work/life balance.

I tend to take all of these surveys with at large pinch of salt and I wouldn’t put too much store in the absolute numbers. But, I think it shows that there is a huge market for the health-aware sector of the 50-plus. The other explanation is that the over-50s are better liars, especially about their drinking habits! Dick Stroud