Tom Murphy
RedwoodAge.com

If you're like most baby boomers, you're overweight, you know it, and you're trying to do something about it. That's the good news.

The bad news is you're probably not making much progress despite exercise and eating healthy foods.

Sound familiar? It should, according to a study just released by Harris Interactive's Consumer Packaged Goods Research Practice. The study was designed to help companies figure out how to market products to the 78 million baby boomers, but it reveals a profile of a generation that really, really wants to do the right thing for their health.

Nearly a third of boomers quit smoking. Two-thirds are trying to lose weight; boomers work out an average of 4.8 hours a week. Asked which health concerns worry them the most, 19 percent cited obesity, 18 percent cancer, and 15 percent diabetes.

They probably should worry more about things like high blood pressure, but the survey found they have a surprisingly accurate impression of just how fat they are. In reality, 79 percent are overweight. By their own assessment, 81 percent said they were overweight. Given the statistical margin for error, that's a bulls-eye.

The obesity problem is (forgive the expression) growing. In 1990, no state classified more than 20 percent of its residents as obese, but 22 states did by 2000. By 2005, there were only four states in which less than 20 percent of residents were obsese.

Despite sincere efforts to eat healthier foods, exercise, and cut down on portions, this is the first generation that is in worse shape than their parents. Brian O'Meara, a vice president for the research group, said the data shows "there is a sincere commitment to making changes, but those changes are hard to make."

O'Meara noted that boomers grew up in the 50s and 60s under "a different set of rules" than most people follow today. At that time, society wasn't as worried about obesity, smoking or junk food.

"Their habits were formed during that era. What we have now are a set of decades-long habits that are deeply entrenched, and they're trying to turn those around," he said. "It's a struggle. It's a big struggle. They're making some headway, but it's not easy to do."

Good Intentions
Perhaps because they're more conscious of their mortality, boomers are clearly making more of an effort than younger people. For example, 46 percent of boomers eat fruits and vegetables every day compared with 33 percent for non-boomers. And 41 percent gulp down eight or more glasses of water, compared to 31 percent for the younger crowd. A whopping 81 percent eat white meat regularly and 80 percent seek out foods made from whole grains. Eighty-six percent of boomers consider exercise "very important," which is a little higher than the 80 percent among non-boomers who think so.

Curiously, the boomers' favorite source for health information is the Internet. Thirty percent said they turn there first. That's 3 percent higher than younger people, and 7 percent higher than the number who ask their doctor for advice. When they think they have a health problem, however, more than half (54 percent) ask their doctors for advice, while 21 percent go online. Only 4 percent turn to their friends.

The Harris team broke the boomers into six categories, ranging from those who are "Losing the Battle" to those who are "Living on Luck."  Some groups seem to exercise more while others eschew the very idea of making efforts to safeguard their health.

"Not everyone is reading labels. Not everyone is interested in health foods," noted Cathy Holton, another Harris vice president.

For example, in the "Losing the Battle" group, which include 23 percent of all boomers, 94 percent are overweight, including 48 percent that are obese and 19 percent that are morbidly obese. These are generally people with multiple health problems even though 77 percent of them have made real efforts to improve their health.

Even within the "All Natural Foodies" group, which includes the most active boomers, seven in 10 are overweight. The 13 percent of boomers  in the "Living on Luck" group are almost against exercise and would rather take a pill than change their behavior to improve health. Only 60 percent are overweight, but this group also had the highest rates of divorce, insomnia and anxiety. Harris described this group as a "heart attack waiting to happen."

Harris said the key to motivating boomers is to reach their sense of values and emotional needs. "Brands that make the connection," she said, "will win the day."