New Report Examines the Causes and Consequences of Adult Obesity in the United States
Posted on: Friday, 7 September 2007, 12:00 CDT
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c67680) has announced the addition of Adult Obesity in the United States 2007 to their offering.
This report covers products and services for those who suffer with issues related to being overweight, and tracks the retail experience through the eyes of larger-sized adults. Ultimately, this work provides possible avenues of improvement for retailers, while suggesting that this community should be better served. There appears to be a stigma associated with this market in the sense that some do not want to be associated with serving this community (clothing especially), or a bias that suggests servicing is indirectly encouraging this epidemic.
While no one is suggesting that being overweight is healthy or desirable, there is a growing recognition that this condition is a fact of life for many Americans. Because of the sheer numbers of overweight people in the U.S., being overweight is losing some of its stigma, reducing the impetus to lose weight. In fact, studies and figures have shown that the average size of the American woman is a 14 and that the majority of women in the U.S. wear a size 12 or above. Figures have also shown that 62% of the U.S. women's apparel market is plus sized, with this segment of the population spending $47 billion in 2005.
The bottom line is that this issue is becoming even more prevalent, encompassing all demographics across age, gender, and race/ethnicity, and is only going to worsen. The fattening of America has no quick fix, and must be addressed on several fronts. One of these involves accepting the magnitude of the issue and refusing to continue marginalizing larger-size consumers, who now make up a majority of the population.
Scope and Themes
What you need to know
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
Background Factors
Current population is overweight, and getting larger
Figure 1: Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Americans, 1988-2002
Adult BMI
Children and weight gain
Figure 2: Prevalence of obesity among children aged 6-19, 1971-2002
Race/ethnicity and weight gain
Costs Associated with Obesity
Serious medical consequences
Increased mortality rate
The economic costs
The cost to society
Balancing the reality of the obesity trend with efforts to curtail it
Medical conditions associated with obesity
Diabetes
Overview
Weight related diabetes
Health issues and the foot connection
Neuropathy
Orthopedic conditions
Skin problems
Skin tags
Yeast infections
Wound complications
Cellulitis and lymphedema
The Politics of the Obesity Epidemic
Legislation
IRS weighs in
Cheeseburger bills
Government-funded initiatives
USDA targets weight loss
Exercise initiative
A question of seating
Market Size in Key Obesity Markets
Market size and spending power
Plus-size clothing for women and teens
Figure 3: Sales of women's and teens' plus-size clothing, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
Figure 4: U.S. retail sales of women's clothing, at current and constant prices, 2000-05
Weight control products
Figure 5: Total U.S. retail sales of weight control products, at current and constant prices, 2001-06
Current and Potential Markets
Overview
The plus-size clothing market
Proactive retailers
Online choices expand
The reality of plus-size shopping
Weight loss industries
Traditional weight loss industries and forms of promotion
Health and fitness clubs
Television
Corporate wellness programs
Diet food, e.g. slimming meals
Weight loss tablets
Male obesity and impotency
"Lighter" meals from quick service restaurants
Diets and diet books
Figure 6: Familiarity and experience with diet plans, April-May 2006
Less traditional weight loss industries
Sports activities--fat and fit?
Nordic walking
Skin care products designed to alleviate chafing and rashes
Bariatric surgery/services
Figure 7: Incidence of bariatric surgery in the U.S., 1997-2002
Orthopedic implants
Electric scooters
Convenience products
The Consumer
Introduction
Summary
Percentage of respondents considered obese
Figure 8: Respondents considered obese, by gender, January 2007
Figure 9: Respondents considered obese, by age, January 2007
Figure 10: Respondents considered obese, by race/ethnicity, January 2007
Figure 11: Respondents considered obese, by region, January 2007
Difficulty purchasing clothing
Figure 12: Difficulty in purchasing clothing items by the obese, by gender, January 2007
Figure 13: Difficulty in purchasing clothing by the obese, by age, January 2007
Leisure activities
Figure 14: Leisure time activities of the obese, by gender, January 2007
Figure 15: Leisure time activities, by age, January 2007
Dining out habits
Figure 16: Frequency of dining out by the obese, any restaurant vs drive through, by gender, January 2007
Figure 17: Frequency of dining out by the obese, any restaurant vs drive through, by age, January 2007
Difficulty in public places because of weight
Figure 18: Difficulty with seating in public places by the obese, by gender, January 2007
Figure 19: Difficulty with seating in public places by the obese, by age, January 2007
The shopping experience
Figure 20: How obese people feel they are treated when shopping, by gender, January 2007
Figure 21: How obese people feel they are treated when shopping, by age, January 2007
The shopping environment
Figure 22: Selected views of the shopping experience by the obese, by gender, January 2007
Figure 23: Selected views of the shopping experience by the obese, by age, January 2007
Potential changes in shopping habits
Figure 24: Likelihood of changing shopping habits if issues of the obese are addressed, by gender, January 2007
Figure 25: Likelihood of changing shopping habits if issues of the obese are addressed, by age, January 2007
Future Obesity Trends
Increasing array of weight loss options
As obesity rates continue to rise, more government intervention will follow
Those who ignore the issue may be unpleasantly surprised
Stigma of obesity will linger, though fat acceptance gains ground
Choices will continue to grow across the retail spectrum
Appendix: Trade Associations
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c67680.
Source: Business Wire
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