I was amazed at the results from this study that I received from the Center for Media Research (May 26, 2008 “Appearance and Weight Trumps Disease in Women’s Concerns”). It makes we think that we women should *change* our priorities!!

“According to a the second in a series of findings from the Meredith/NBC Universal “What do Women Want?”, when it comes to health, 56% of women are more concerned about diet/weight and 36% about eating right, while only 23% express the same degree of concern about cancer, 20% about heart health, and 18% about diabetes.

The nationwide survey among more than 3,000 women reveal key insights on the female psyche across topics including health and well-being. Many women are skipping important medical examinations, annual physicals and screenings:

* Less than two-thirds (59%) of all women get an annual physical, even lower among Gen Y women (44%)
* Nearly one-third of Boomer women are not getting their important annual mammograms, cholesterol checks or physicals
* 62% of women regularly give themselves a breast self-examination, while only 14% of all women get a skin cancer screening at least once a year

While most women (68%) like who they are inside and are satisfied with their “identity and development as an individual,” only 40% say they are satisfied with their physical appearance and 37% their energy levels.

* Four in 10 women report that they are more than 20 pounds overweight
* 29% of Gen Y women say they are at their ideal weight vs. 9% of Gen X and 7% of Boomer women
* Only 4% of overweight women say they would consider surgery as a weight reduction strategy, while 76% say they would consider exercise and 75% improving their diet to lose weight

84% of American women feel they are overweight:

* 13% of women feel that they are the ideal weight, while 23% feel they are 21-50 pounds overweight and 16% report being more than 50 pounds overweight.
* Older women are more likely than younger women to report they are overweight and to join weight management programs
* Gen X women and Baby Boomer women are more likely to get involved in weight management programs to improve their health and well-being than Gen Y women
* Gen Y women are more likely to do yoga or Pilates to improve their health and well-being

Most women don’t want to work too hard to achieve a healthy lifestyle, opting for simple solutions like drinking more water or eating more fruits and vegetables over the more disciplined approaches like exercising regularly, counting calories, and using portion control.

Also, to improve health and well-being, some women have taken non-traditional approaches such as natural herbs and supplements (26%), bought/adopted a pet (25%), meditation (11%), acupuncture (4%), visited a hypnotist (1%).”

Diane Salvatore, Editor in Chief of Ladies’ Home Journal, concluded that “While staying fit and trim definitely contributes to overall good health, it’s only a piece of a proactively healthy lifestyle… These findings should be a wakeup call to American women…”. I agree!!

Category: Body · Diet & Fitness · Health & Wellness