Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Overly positive health perceptions could be a barrier
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- Figure 1: Health status, by age, September 2017
- Weight gain and control is problematic in middle age
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- Figure 2: Top three health issues, September 2017
- Middle agers struggle to find balance
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- Figure 3: Managing health is a balancing act, by health status, September 2017
- The opportunities
- Middle aged adults pursuing health goals will buy into products for the journey
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- Figure 4: Interest in health products to improve health, by health status, September 2017
- Menopause is a guarantee
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- Figure 5: Usage of menopause products and comfort discussing, September 2017
- Health app brands can increase users by focusing on adherence and progress
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- Figure 6: Select health management tools, by use of health app, September 2017
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- US population of middle aged adults is declining
- Middle aged adults’ demographics are changing
- Peak earning years hit in early middle adulthood; retirement shift begins
- Middle age doesn’t mean managing everyone’s health care
- Generational differences influence health attitudes
Middle Adulthood by the Numbers
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- The US population of middle aged adults is on a slight decline
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- Figure 7: US population, by age, 2012-22
- Gender gap begins to widen among older middle aged adults
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- Figure 8: Projected US ratio of males to females, by age, 2022
- More diverse than Seniors but still predominately White
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- Figure 9: Distribution of population, by age and race/Hispanic origin, 2016
- The household composition of middle aged adults is in transition
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- Figure 10: Types of households, by age of householder, 2016
- Figure 11: Households with own children under age 18, by age of householder, 2016
- Peak earning years hit in early middle adulthood
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- Figure 12: Household income distribution, shares by age of householder, 2015
- The transition to retirement begins
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- Figure 13: Employment status, by age, September 2017
Market Perspective
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- Not the health managers they’re made out to be
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- Figure 14: Managing the healthcare of others, by age, September 2017
- Qualitative quotes
- Generational differences influence health attitudes
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- Figure 15: Health and wellbeing segmentation, Summer 2017
- Health and wellbeing segmentation definitions
Key Initiatives – What You Need to Know
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- Health efforts begin in young adulthood; adherence improves with age
- Healthcare costs are a major source of dissatisfaction
- Health issues start to sneak up in middle adulthood
- Tapping into influencers and customization
Middle Adulthood Health Themes
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- Health efforts start before entering middle age; adherence improves
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- Figure 16: Agree I follow healthy habits most of the time, by age, August 2017
- Healthcare costs are a pain point; emphasize proactive measures
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- Figure 17: Satisfaction with healthcare costs, by age and insurance type, September 2016
- Obesity plagues adults in middle adulthood
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- Figure 18: BMI status, by age, July 2017
- Heart health education needs to occur early in middle adulthood
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- Figure 19: Diagnosed with any type of heart disease, by age, 2015
- Just like young adults most middle agers lack control over stress
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- Figure 20: Feel in control of health and stress, by age, October 2016
- Menopause is a mid-life rite of passage for women
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- Figure 21: Usage of menopause products and comfort discussing, September 2017
- Incontinence affects few, though women more than men
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- Figure 22: Incontinence incidence, by gender and age, September 2017
- Use of corrective eyewear begins to surge; particularly OTC readers
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- Figure 23: Corrective eyewear usage, by age, July 2017
What’s Next?
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- Tap into social media influencer peers
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- Figure 24: Valuable sources of information, September 2017
- Product customization can fill a white space for middle aged adults
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- Figure 25: Supplement usage, September 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Middle age is a reckoning for health; perceived to be in good standing
- Middle aged adults taking steps to monitor and improve their wellbeing
- Physicians are the top source for health improvement information
- Control over health comes with age; overall willingness to spend
- The few who follow trends and use health apps engage most in healthy behaviors
Health Status
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- Like most adults, middle agers have mostly positive health perceptions
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- Figure 26: Health status, by age, September 2017
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- Figure 27: Middle age health status, by age, September 2017
- Wealth affords better health perceptions
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- Figure 28: Middle age health status, by household income, September 2017
- ‘Somewhat’ healthies are a key target for health improvement brands
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- Figure 29: Interest in health products to improve health, by health status, September 2017
- Less healthy middle agers struggle to walk the tightrope
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- Figure 30: Managing health is a balancing act, by health status, September 2017
Health Issues
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- Health issues not a major theme for middle aged adults…yet
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- Figure 31: Repertoire of health issues, September 2017
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- Figure 32: Health issues, September 2017
- Age divides highlight the turning point for some health issues
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- Figure 33: Health issues, by age, September 2017
- Gender has a bearing on the health conditions adults face in middle age
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- Figure 34: TURF analysis – Women’s health issues, September 2017
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- Figure 35: TURF analysis – Men’s health issues, September 2017
- Methodology
- Hypertension and heart disease spike among Black adults
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- Figure 36: Health issues, by Black race, September 2017
Health Management Tools
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- Middle aged adults are taking some action; opportunity for more
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- Figure 37: Health management tools, September 2017
- The gift of a wellness exam; wives motivate husbands
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- Figure 38: Any wellness examinations (net), by gender and age, middle age breaks, and marital status, September 2017
- Middle agers focus on self-care over mental health
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- Figure 39: Self-care, exercise, and focus on mental health, by gender and age, September 2017
- Prescription use increases significantly with age
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- Figure 40: Currently take a prescription medication, by age, September 2017
Valuable Sources of Information
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- General physicians are the top information source for middle aged adults
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- Figure 41: Valuable sources of information, September 2017
- Older middle aged men aren’t likely to follow the advice of amateurs
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- Figure 42: Any valuable sources of information (net), by gender and age, September 2017
- Conversely, women see value in their social connections and the internet
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- Figure 43: Any valuable personal and online sources of information (net), by gender, September 2017
- Race and Hispanic origin dictates value of information sources
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- Figure 44: Any valuable personal and professional sources of information (net), by Race and Hispanic origin, September 2017
Health Management Attitudes
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- Control over health comes with age
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- Figure 45: Agree I’m in control of my health, by age, September 2017
- Women willing to spend on their health, but agree it’s a balancing act
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- Figure 46: Select attitudes toward health management, by gender and age, September 2017
- Investing in health correlates to higher use of supplements and self-care
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- Figure 47: Products to improve health and fun manging health, by products currently used to improve wellbeing, September 2017
Behaviors when Managing Health
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- Few follow health trends; followers engage in other healthy behaviors
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- Figure 48: Select health management tools, by health trend followers, September 2017
- Natural products have modest appeal; even less among men aged 55-64
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- Figure 49: Purchase natural health products, by gender and age, September 2017
- Opportunity for health management brands to tap into health app users
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- Figure 50: Select health management tools, by use of health app, September 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 51: Any vitamin or supplement use (net), by frequency, by age, June 2017
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 52: Table – TURF analysis – Men’s health issues, September 2017
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- Figure 53: Table – TURF analysis – Women’s health issues, September 2017
- Additional qualitative quotes
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