Given the lifestyle (or to be cynical, lack-of-lifestyle) of the average company employee, it’s no surprise that functional foods like nutritionally-balanced foods are rather popular over here. This recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research Inc tried to find out most about this topic of nutritionally-balanced foods.
Demographics
Between the 16th and 24th of April 2008 8,477 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.6% of the sample were female, 0.6% in their teens, 13.9% in their twenties, 36.4% in their thirties, 30.2% in their forties, 12.9% in their fifties, and 6.0% aged sixty or older.
I’ve recently been eating SOYJOY for lunch in an attempt to lose weight and save money. I succeeded in both, dropping about two and a half kilograms in three weeks, but then last week I went on a business trip to Nice and managed to put it all right back on. SOYJOY is nice on its own regardless of the particular flavour, and at work the also have another one I like, wheat based with a maple flavour, but I can’t for the life of me remember the name, although I do know it’s from Asahi, perhaps from wheat left-over from the beer-making…
I’ve never heard of “Natural Brown” before, but it’s a quite unappetising name and suggests to me the laxative effect it might induce!
Finally, here’s a rather weird (fan-made surely?) CalorieMate advert:
Research results
Q1: For each of the following statement, select the answer that is closest to your normal lifestyle. (Sample size=8,477, multiple answer)
Very much so
So to some degree
Not at all
I’m concerned about imbalanced nutrition
22.2%
49.5%
28.3%
I’m concerned about over-eating
28.1%
42.7%
29.2%
I can’t manage a regular lifestyle
24.4%
39.7%
35.9%
I don’t get enough nutrition
14.2%
39.7%
46.1%
I don’t have time to eat slowly
13.1%
37.3%
49.6%
I am on a weight-loss diet
10.0%
31.2%
58.8%
I often don’t have breakfast
16.9%
15.5%
67.6%
I eat out a lot
8.3%
22.9%
68.8%
I regularly do sports
8.1%
20.0%
71.9%
Q2: Which of the following nutritionally-balanced foods have you eaten? (Sample size=8,477, multiple answer)
CalorieMate
73.5%
SOYJOY
44.0%
Every Day Berries
27.7%
BALANCE UP
16.8%
BALANCE UP Cream Brown Rice Bran
14.9%
Natural Brown
12.2%
BALANCE ON
10.3%
PURE-IN
6.6%
PERFECT PLUS
6.0%
BALANCE DATE
4.0%
Power Bar
2.9%
Kodawari Factory Biscuit Cereal
2.8%
One Stick Satisfaction Bar
2.7%
SLICE DELI
1.8%
Other
0.5%
Don’t eat nutritionally-balanced foods (to end of survey)
20.8%
Q3: Which is your most favourite nutritionally-balanced food? (Sample size=6,710)
CalorieMate
33.2%
SOYJOY
19.7%
Every Day Berries
6.9%
BALANCE UP Cream Brown Rice Bran
4.5%
BALANCE UP
1.8%
Natural Brown
1.5%
BALANCE ON
0.7%
One Stick Satisfaction Bar
0.4%
PERFECT PLUS
0.4%
PURE-IN
0.4%
BALANCE DATE
0.3%
Kodawari Factory Biscuit Cereal
0.2%
SLICE DELI
0.1%
Power Bar
0.1%
Other
0.2%
None in particular
29.6%
By sex, almost a third more men than women liked CalorieMate the most, but almost three times as many women liked Every Day Berries. By age, CalorieMate was much more popular amongst those in their twenties than other age groups.
Q4: What flavours of nutritionally-balanced foods do you like? (Sample size=6,710, multiple answer)
Chocolate
45.5%
Cheese
43.5%
Plain
39.5%
Maple, honey
29.6%
Strawberry, blueberry, etc
28.0%
Mixed fruit
27.4%
Prune, raisin
23.1%
Banana
21.7%
Sesame
19.9%
Apple
18.9%
Orange
14.3%
Apricot
13.9%
Coconut
11.2%
Green and yellow vegetables
10.4%
Potato
10.1%
Vegetable mix
9.3%
Tomato
8.0%
Other
0.8%
None in particular
9.4%
Q5: In what kinds of situations do you eat nutritionally-balanced foods? (Sample size=6,710, multiple answer)
When I feel a little peckish
53.2%
As a snack
42.5%
When I have no time to eat
29.1%
For breakfast
24.5%
When I want something sweet
11.8%
For lunch
10.8%
When fatigued
10.7%
When I have no appetite
8.7%
When I feel sleepy
7.0%
When doing sports
5.8%
When I have no time to cook
4.4%
FOr evening meal
2.9%
Other
2.0%
Don’t know
6.9%
Note that for the next question it was indicated that those answering ate nutritionally-balanced foods at least once every three months, but such a table of frequency of eating was not reported.
Q6: Why do you eat nutritionally-balanced foods? (Sample size=4,326, multiple answer)
Easy to eat shape
77.8%
Can eat quickly
51.2%
Better for you than sweets
37.2%
When I wanto to restore my nutritional balance
35.1%
Good taste
33.8%
Can eat on the move
29.8%
Good for health
25.5%
Rich in the nutrition I want to take
23.2%
Can regulate calorie intake
22.0%
Can eat in one bite
16.6%
Because I’m dieting
9.5%
Good for beauty
9.1%
Not embarrassing if someone sees me eating it
9.1%
Usual eating habits are irregular
7.8%
Cheaper than food
4.5%
Other
1.2%
No particular reason
1.8%
Q7: Where do you buy nutritionally-balanced foods? (Sample size=6,710, multiple answer)
Drug store, pharmacy
49.7%
Convenience store
47.0%
Supermarket
46.4%
Home centre, discount store
13.9%
Railway station shop
8.0%
Internet
2.6%
Other mail order
0.2%
Other
0.9%
Don’t buy myself
6.9%
Q8: What points are important for nutritionally-balanced foods? (Sample size=6,710, multiple answer)
Flavour
62.4%
Price
47.9%
Shape (bar, block, sandwich, etc)
36.4%
Calories
31.5%
Ingredients, nutrition
28.7%
Sits well in stomach, fills stomach
26.5%
Kind (cookie, cake, cracker, etc)
24.6%
Quantity, number of sticks, blocks, etc
17.9%
Isn’t dry, crumbly
14.7%
Base ingredients (wheat, soy, etc)
12.6%
Can enjoy fruit, vegetables
11.6%
Easy to swallow without water
11.2%
Moist feeling
11.2%
Maker, brand name
9.6%
Country of origin
8.4%
No salt
7.0%
Crispy feeling
6.5%
Often see advertised
4.3%
Packaging
3.9%
Low GI
3.5%
Other
0.6%
Nothing in particular
11.5%
Cross-referencing by the top six brands, CalorieMate was the one chosen the least for flavour, BALANCE UP the most. BALANCE UP and Natural Brown were most popular for price.
Q9: What ingredients, nutrients would you want to see included in nutritionally-balanced foods? (Sample size=6,710, multiple answer)
Given the lifestyle (or to be cynical, lack-of-lifestyle) of the average company employee, it’s no surprise that functional foods like nutritionally-balanced foods are rather popular over here. This recent survey from DIMSDRIVE Research Inc tried to find out most about this topic of nutritionally-balanced foods.
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