As you take the time to read my column this month, I ask that you take a minute to think about what you have consumed within the last 24 hours. If your 24-hour period is anything like mine, I’m sure there are some healthy products, some indulgent products, and some that toe the line. I’d like to think I maintain a healthy balance with food and exercise, but according to a recent study from Nielsen and the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), consumer perceptions of health and wellness don’t always add up with their actions.
The market research firms divided their report, “Health and Wellness in America,” into three parts. In part one, “The Consumer Perspective,” the report named four key themes: Knowledge is King, Healthy Aspirations, Food as Medicine, and Not One Size Fits All. Under Healthy Aspirations, it noted that 89 percent of respondents think that taking personal responsibility for their own health is the best way to stay healthy, while 75 percent say they try to manage health through nutrition, and 64 percent report using whatever means necessary in order to control their health. Although the report shows high incidences for supporting a person’s healthy lifestyle, execution is not at the same level. Seventy percent of respondents reported that they are “actively trying to be healthier,” 50 percent think that eating healthy can be a challenge, and 66 percent reported that they don’t exercise as much as they would like.