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Data from the recently released 2005 HealthFocus Trend Report indicates that men who use herbal supplements are likely to do so either very frequently or very rarely.1 The 2005 Report, published by the marketing research and consulting firm HealthFocus International, combines 15 years of data on consumers’ attitudes and behaviors regarding health and nutrition. The report’s primary data is taken from the biennial “HealthFocus National Study of Public Attitudes and Actions Toward Healthy Foods,” comprised of mailed questionnaire responses from 3,707 primary grocery shoppers. Of the survey’s respondents, 84 men indicated at least periodic use of herbal supplements.
HealthFocus analyzed the responses of those 84 men who reported herbal supplement use. According to the results, 40% of the men claimed to use herbal supplements twice a week or more, 12% rated their use as once a week, 4% claimed to use herbal supplements once every 2 weeks, and 43% indicated their use as once a month or less. Twenty-one percent of the surveyed male herbal supplement users were under the age of 35, 48% were between the ages of 35 and 54, and 31% were 55 years-old or older. The most commonly-cited health concern among these men was cardiovascular/heart disease, recognized as a concern by 66% of the surveyed men. Other commonly-reported health concerns were cancer (58%), high cholesterol (57%), hypertension/high blood pressure (51%), and eye health (50%). Curiously, prostate health was not listed as a concern, a somewhat unusual omission considering the age spread of the sample. Given the relatively small number of men responding (84), it is difficult to assess the actual significance of these statistics.
More information about the 300-page 2005 HealthFocus Trend Report, including ordering information, is available online at http://www.healthfocus.com/2005trendreport.htm. One bound copy of the report with an electronic file costs $7500. Additional bound copies cost $250 and additional electronic copies cost $25.
--Courtney Cavaliere
Reference
1. The 2005 HealthFocus Trend Report. St. Petersburg, FL: HealthFocus International; 2005.
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