Children's Wellness 2006: At the Intersection of Hope & Anxiety

The Hartman Group is pleased to present its third study on children's wellness. This study, which is national in scope and conducted using primary ethnographic research, is informed by many years spent documenting the lifestyle, shopping, purchase and usage habits of American consumers with regard to notions of "health," "wellness" and "healthy living."

Children's Wellness 2006 depicts how families are evolving within the constantly changing world of health lifestyles, and how consumers shop and care for themselves and their children in ever more unique and individualized ways. Specifically, our research has revealed a complex world of human behavior characterized by ideology, belief, desire and, of course, practice: "At the intersection of hope & anxiety" reflects the cross-roads both parents and children feel themselves at today as they live, shop and use a wide variety of products and services.

The study finds:

• Children are playing an increasingly significant role in forming household attitudes and behaviors about health and wellness. In fact, in some households, children are more aware, informed and involved than their parents in dietary and nutritional practices and standards, much of which derives from exposure to information distributed within schools and in the media.
• Children begin making their own choices, and in many cases purchase decisions, about health and wellness products around the age of 10. At this juncture, parents' roles typically begin to shift from guardians to partners in health and wellness.
• Today most parents believe they have "adequate" control over their children's health and wellness in the home environment (i.e., control of food, personal care products, home cleaning products, air and water filtration, etc.). However, outside of the home environment, parents feel out of control, worried and frustrated by the limited array of choices that are currently available to their children (e.g., in schools, restaurants, after-school or day care programs, etc.).

Report Overview:

As an ethnographic study, Children's Wellness "brings to life" the various aspects of how families live, shop and use wellness products and services by providing collages, menus, photographs and other cultural artifacts along with findings. This rich qualitative data - gathered through interaction with and observation of consumers in real context - is key to understanding who children's wellness consumers are and how to engage them in an a lifestyle proposition that results in brand differentiation, product trial and repeat purchase.

By combining the latest ethnographic research methods, this report's findings provide key insights for manufacturers and retailers on cultural beliefs and rituals within families, as they attempt to navigate through their hopes and anxieties, and how these elements impact the adoption of various wellness products and services.