Consumer Behavior and the Obesity Epidemic: Cause, Problem, and Solution - Essay Example

Consumer Behavior and the Obesity Epidemic: Cause, Problem, and Solution Faculty I. Introduction II. ObesityII.i. Cause II.ii. Problem II.iii. Solution III. Consumer Behavior IV. Market Analysis V. Conclusion VI. Reference I. Introduction The paper is about the consumer behavior and obesity. The obesity problem has been increasing worldwide due to many factors. This paper covers wide range of topics and issues like obesity; causes, problem statement and solution to it, consumer behavior, decision making process, decision influencing factors and impact on various industries due to obesity factor. The obesity was reported just in eight states was 10-14 % according to the reports of Centers for Disease Control. By 2002 every state in the nation reported that at least 15% to 19% obesity cases and three states reported obesity rates of greater than 25% of the population. This growth in the obesity rate has changed the attitude of people in general The acceptability towards it has increased at the same time people think that people with proper weight look attractive. This problem has raised demand of the products and services dealing with it. Consumer behavior towards their easting habits is getting influenced. The paper first deals with the obesity; cause, problem and solution for it, than it discuss the consumer behavior and industry scenario. II. Obesity Obesity is resulted from an energy imbalance. It is when energy utilized is lower than energy consumption in the body. It deposits as fat and results in many problems like over weight, blood pressure, heart problems and have emotional and psychological impact on an individual. In present scenario this problem has attached on almost all age group of people. Children are suffering from pediatric obesity problems. As per the U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity (2001), “Body weight is the result of genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status. Behavior and environment play a large role causing people to be overweight and obese. These are the greatest areas for prevention and treatment actions.” II.i. Causes Public Health Advocacy Institute explains obesity as “Obesity is measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI). An individuals BMI is determined by dividing the individual’s weight in kilograms by the square of his height in meters. Individuals with a BMI greater than 25 are considered overweight. A BMI greater than 30 is considered obese.” There are various causes of obesity but it is considered more as a behavioral problem. Eating habits and food intake pattern among people have changed with the time due to various factors. Technological advancement has resulted in increased production of food and dairy products and at the same time it has made life easier for people. Almost all the household work can be done effortlessly with the help of electronic gadgets. Transportation facilities have reduced the options of walking. Children are more into videogames, computer or indoor games than playing in playgrounds. Along with all the mentioned problems irregular lifestyles, negligence and little interest in regular exercise have resulted in low calorie expenditure further resulting on overweight and obesity. Disorders like Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome genes cause obesity. II.ii. Problem: The problem due to obesity and overweight ranges from chronic disorders, high risk for hypertension, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory problems, pregnancy complications, poor reproductive health, psychological disorders and with breast, endometrial, prostate, and colon cancer. The health and medical services cost increases with the weight of an individual. These all have impact on consumer decision making processes. The education and awareness is increasing among people. This is also changing their consumer behavior, awareness to healthy options, consumer rights and preferences for healthy food. Government is looking at the matter seriously framing policies and regulations for the food and beverage industry. Overall food industry is facing enormous pressure from the active consumers’ forums and government. The demand for healthy food options are increasing challenging the existing players in the market and attracting the new players with healthy food options. II.iii. Solution The primary solution for the problem of obesity will be creating individual responsibility towards their heath. To achieve this objective various methods can be adopted. The first would be educating individuals about the food habit and its relationship with obesity. The second option will be ensuring that each organization in the food sector has provided the energy label for the food and beverage items so that individual has full information for decision making on his energy intake. People should be warned about harming food items present in the market or which they prepare at home as well. There should be awareness programs, lectures and active information sharing boards to deal with the problem of obesity. III. Consumer Behavior Consumer behavior for food and eating habits is influenced by various factors. They gain weight due to their genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status. The reasons why people eat out side or rely on packaged food and beverages are less efforts and time is required. Factors like general attitude, perception, personality of an individual, psychology, behavior, motivation and others are the individual’s factors affecting buying behavior. Many a time’s social and economic factors affect the buying behavior. Group to which individual belongs, friends, family and children and other social circles have influence on buying behavior. Apart from those promotional campaigns, company and product image also influences buying behavior for the eating items. A consumer ordering French fries, burger and coke is very common thing in McDonalds. The carbohydrate, sugar and fat intake which he gets here is always high and the physical activities are very less. This results in the energy imbalance situation. According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, “In 2000 more than 26% of adults reported no leisure time physical activity.” Companies more concentrate on taste factor. They provide cheap products with high marketing efforts. According to report of Public Health Advocacy Institute, “In 1999, McDonalds advertising budget was $627 million. The budget to promote the "Five a Day" program to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables was a mere $3 million per year. The National Cancer Institute has a budget of $1 million to promote healthy eating.” This is the reason why consumer will have the products of these companies on their top of the mind and will increase the chances of shifting from healthy food options to the other. As the education among the consumers is increasing their buying behavior is also changing accordingly. Consumer trends are towards healthy food options. According to Fusaro (2005) in the report on food processing industry study “Consumers continue to focus on healthier foods and eating habits, and the food and beverage industry continues to chase this attractive market via products identified as better-for-you, organic, obesity-addressing and nutraceutical (foods that provide medical or health benefits),” the report states. People are ready to pay higher price for healthy food. In a survey with various food processing companies the respondent responded that more potential is for the products which can establish themselves as ‘better for you’ segment. Considerable market exists for the products addressing the obesity problem. The buying behavior and attitude change is obvious among the consumers of food and beverages. This is forcing companies to do research on the products they sell and try to invent healthy food options. IV. Market Analysis The size of U.S. food and beverage industry in 2003 was $497 billion. This sector is one of the main emploment sectors and have influence of daily life of millions of people. The obesity factor has influence on various industries. These are food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical industry, food processing industry, health clubs and institutes and medical sector. The food and beverage industry is changing their product portfolio according to the consumer preferences and behavior, the labeling option is considered to be one of the way to provide energy related information and a huge controversy of individual or corpoorate responsibility exists. The other industry related to healthcare are trying to provide solution to the consumer needs. One of them is pharmaceutical industries. Companies like Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche and others have developed or developing medicinal solution to the obesity problem. Acomplia is developed to block the brain receptors to reduce hunger, Alli is developed as weight-loss drug blocks the bodys absorption of fat and many developments is going on in the filed of pharmaceutical to provide solution to the consumer for their obesity problems. Other sectors like health institutes and clubs growing up. These services provide customers an option to spend their calories in a regular manner in the presence of professional instructors. Customer may choose these options on the basis of his convenience, availability and affordability. V. Conclusion Problem of obesity is increasing and there are various reasons for that. Individual behavior, availability of cheap products, high marketing by the companies, less effective government efforts and other factors are responsible for it. Various researches have been done and people are getting aware for their food habits and calories intakes. These changing factors are the forces for the existing food and beverage companies to develop new products which can win customers on taste and health concerns. The trend in the market is more towards healthy food options the companies which can meet changing needs of consumers and impact consumer behavior in a positive manner will be winning in the future. VI. Reference Dissecting consumer diet behavior;2005 retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.allbusiness.com/periodicals/article/380210-1.html Fusaro; 2005 Top 100 for 2005: This chicken comes first Retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.foodprocessing.com/articles/2005/474.html Manson and Paul; 2005 Obesity a European problem: Commission ready to legislate if no progress is made retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.commercialalert.org/news-archive.php?article_id=407&month=01&year=2005&day=20th Purves: 2005, The Observer - Its supposed to be lean cuisine. So why is this chicken fatter than it looks? Retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.fabresearch.org/view_item.aspx?item_id=886 Overweight and Obesity: An Overview; 2005(Review) Centers of Disease Control and Prevention retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm Obesity as an Epidemic; 2004, Public Health Advocacy Institute retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.phaionline.org/projects_obesity_epidemic.php Saul; 2006 Approaches to the Nations Obesity Epidemic Coming Up for Review Retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2006/01/17/2_approaches_to_the_nations_obesity_epidemic_coming_up_for_review/ U.S. market for nutrition bars booming, study says, White Papers; 2005 Retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 http://www.foodprocessing.com/whitepapers/2005/005.html Well-balanced, nutritional message retrieved from on 7 Feb 2006 from http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2004/03.18/09-eat.html WOODMERE;2005, Food Industry Targets Trans Fat, Retrieved on 7 Feb 2006 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/18/health/main667671.shtml Read More