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

The good and bad news about disability and ageing

This chart shows that over 80% of Americans were not chronically disabled in 2004-2005, measured by their state of health and the daily tasks they are able to do. That is an improvement over three-quarters a decade earlier.

A similar trend has been documented in some Europe countries. Denmark, Finland, Italy, and the Netherlands show clear evidence of a decline in disability among the elderly. This is the good news (unless you are a company providing care services to the chronically disabled) .

This decrease in old-age disability has come as chronic diseases (heart disease and diabetes)have increased. A seemingly contradictory trend. But disability is determined by other factors in addition to health. As life expectancy in the older population has increased, more elderly people are living with chronic illnesses. However, these illnesses are not as disabling as they were in the past.

The bad news is that rising obesity in the US (and just about everywhere else) could halt or reverse the decline in old-age disability. Already there is evidence that Americans in their early 50s are less healthy than people of the same age a decade earlier.

Based on current trends for people ages 50 to 69, disability rates could increase during the next decade from 8% in 2005 to 9% in 2015, reversing some or all of the recent gains.

Another big BUT is that these figures are averages and as we all know averages tell us virtually nothing. There is a big difference in the disability rates between the wealthy and the poor.

For all you smug Brits that think the UK doesn’t have these problems remember that in Iraq, life expectancy is 67. In the Calton, area of Glasgow, it is 54. 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

Polish geriatricians not plumbers

I receive loads of e-mail press releases. Most are quickly consigned to the recycle bin.

Why I wondered had somebody sent me a news release to do with: “United Kingdom Citizens travelling to Poland for medical treatment”

A quick inspection of the organization’s web site (statmedia) answered my question.

According to forecasts by the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency the number of patients travelling to Poland from overseas is set to increase by 10-20% each year. A lot of them will be from the UK. In the future many of them will be older people.

It is a no brainer that the only way the UK can deal with the medical care of its ageing population is to use off-shore facilities. Some will be in India and some closer to home. The trend has begun. Dick Stroud

This is a report for your 50-plus library

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has published an excellent report that demonstrates the horrible health implications of the US’s ageing Boomer population. For the US also read Europe.

If you are feeling a bit too cheerful and need a dose of despondency then read a few of the highlights from the report.

The first Boomers will turn 65 in 2011 and more than 37 million of them - six out of 10 - will be managing more than one chronic condition by 2030. Also by 2030:
· 14 million Boomers will be living with diabetes - that's one out of every four Boomers.

· Half of the Boomers will live with arthritis - the number peaking at 26 million in 2020.

· More than one out of three Boomers - over 21 million - will be considered obese.

If your business is in anyway connected to the healthcare industry then you must download this report. This is what you do. Go to the AHA web site and register and then you will have access to the report.

It is not exactly a laugh a minute but a great source of information. Dick Stroud

Ecumen - an interesting looking care company

I have done a lot of work at the old-old end of the 50-plus market in the residential and care sector. This is an overlooked part of the market but one that will is becoming increasingly important.

The people from Ecumen contacted me to tell me about their web site. They look an interesting outfit.

I was amused at their choice of “The top five web sites that are changing aging” Why they chose Zimmers is beyond me. Other than that, if you are interested in the care market then this site is worth a visit. 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

Maybe a good product idea – dreadful web site

Bayer HealthCare is having a crack at the baby boomer market with the introduction of a new line of nutritional supplements, Bayer Nutritional Science.

Bayer is focusing the new line on: “maximizing baby boomer vitality”.

It sounds like a pretty good idea but how could they be satisfied with such a naff web site. It looks like it is from another era. Dick Stroud

Too many naked women

Apparently the Dove pro.age ads are not being shown in some countries because the sight of naked older ladies is thought to be too much for the fragile viewers.

Dove’s decision to leverage this fact is pretty smart. Dick Stroud

P&G's acquisition of MDVIP - interesting idea

P&G recently announced acquisition of a stake in MDVIP, in which physicians keep practices small and focus on preventive care for fee-paying patients

Coca-Cola Co. this month bought Fuze Beverage, extending the beverage maker's line of drinks with Fuze juice and tea brands.

Johnson & Johnson Co. has also been active, obtaining cardiac stent maker Conor Medsystems and the consumer health products business of Pfizer Inc. in recent months.

P&G's chief executive explained the rationale for this purchase as giving his company "the time to learn; it gets us in early in the formation of the new category or segment."

At the heart of this interest in health related products and services is simple demographics and economics. More old, more healthcare spend. Simple as that.

MDVIP's founder said that he sees the P&G investment as a catalyst to keep building his business: "We think they are bringing a world of knowledge to us... they are masters of scaling and branding." The trick is applying all this global marketing power and not suffocating the entrepreneurial spirit that created the company in the first place. Dick Stroud

Boomer food

A Reuter’s press release claims that: “Food manufacturers and retailers are recognizing that they need to go after aging U.S. baby boomers who have money to spend and time to shop”.

Some of the companies who are turning their marketing budgets on the 50-plus are:

Kraft - who calls consumers 50 years and older the "liberated boomers." (give me a break) has products such as a South Beach Diet line and Crystal Light drinks and of course the company's mainstay products such as macaroni and cheese. (Sounds as appetizing as a baked brick). Soon to hit the supermarket shelves will be its Bistro Deluxe line ("a sophisticated Mac & Cheese experience with unique ingredients that appeal to an adult palate"). This makes the brick sound appetizing.

Unilever - has its restaurant-style line, Bertolli Dinner for Two

Sara Lee - hits the floor running with its ready-to-eat meals such as Jimmy Dean sausage sandwiches and skillet meals.

Wild Oats Markets - is a company that thinks it is well placed to cater for the boomer with its range of natural and organic foods, also has gluten-free, sugar-free and diabetic products.

Ken Dychtwald (“the man”) is much quoted in the press release. Why do I think he hasn’t been trying the delights of a skillet meal or a ‘sophisticated’ Mac & Cheese experience, washed down with a mug of Crystal Light.

This food sounds dreadful. I can only assume that these global food giants have concluded that one of the physiological effects of aging is the complete loss of taste and smell. Dick Stroud