Spending Time With Family/Pets as Popular as Healthy Eating and Exercise to Maintain ‘Physical Health’, Shows GfK Data

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NUREMBERG, Germany, Sept. 28, 2017, /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

One in three now include "take a break from technology" in their health

routine.

Nuremberg, September 28, 2017 - When it comes to which activities people do

regularly to maintain their physical health, it is no surprise that nearly two

thirds of the online population across 17 countries include getting enough

sleep, eating healthy nutritious food, and exercising. What is more surprising

is that almost the same numbers (62 percent) now include "spending time with

family, friends or pets" as something they "do regularly to maintain their

physical health". This is up from 56 percent in 2014.

Getting enough sleep stays level over the last three years, in terms of the

percentage of people who regularly include this as part of their physical

health routine. However, there are notable increases in other activities -

especially following a specific diet, unplugging from technology, eating

healthily and spending time with family, friends or pets:

                                                                       % point

                                                                    difference

                                                        2017           2017

                                                                      vs 2014

Get enough sleep                                       65%                  0

Eat healthy nutritious food                            65%                 +7

Exercise                                               64%                 +5

Spend time with family, friends or pets                 62%                +6

Use skin care or beauty/personal

grooming products                                       46%                +4

Take a break from technology                           34%                +10

Follow a specific diet                                 29%                +11

Meditate or use other relaxation

techniques                                              25%                +7

Use herbal, holistic or other

alternative remedies                                    23%                +8

Get cosmetic / elective surgery or

non-surgical procedures including

dental                                                 10%                +4

None of these                                          1%                 -3

GfK *2017 survey of 23,000 consumers in 17 countries vs GfK

2014 survey of 21,000 consumers in 16 countries (excluding

the Netherlands).

GfK's research indicates that 'quality time' has taken a step forward in

people's perception of what keeps them physically healthy. "Taking a break from

technology" increased from one in four people (24 percent) in 2014 regularly

doing this to maintain their physical health to one in three people (34

percent) this year; the second largest increase across all the activities

listed. Also, "spending time with family, friends or pets" increased from just

over half of people (56 percent) in 2014, to just under two thirds (62 percent)

this year.

Eating the right food is also getting notably more attention than in the past.

"Following a specific diet" climbed from 18 percent in 2014 to 30 percent this

year; the biggest increase among all the activities listed. And "eating healthy

nutritious food" is now mentioned by 65 percent of respondents, compared to 58

percent in 2014.

Mexico, Spain and Canada in top five countries for spending time with family,

friends or pets as part of their physical health routine

Nearly three quarters of the online population in Mexico regularly spend time

with family, friends or pets in order to maintain physical health - the highest

percentage for all 17 countries surveyed. They are followed by Spain and

Argentina (level on 71 percent) and Canada and Brazil (level on 68 percent).

Mexico also tops the list when it comes to taking a break from technology as an

activity to help maintain physical health, with 43 percent of the online

population regularly doing this. Here they are followed by China (40 percent),

Argentina (39 percent), Spain (38 percent) and Brazil (34 percent).

Download GfK's complimentary "Activities to maintain physical health" report

[http://www.gfk.com/global-studies/global-studies-activities-physical-health/]

for specific data on each country, broken down by key demographics.

GfK combines these insights with data from areas such as point of sales

tracking, consumer panels and geo-marketing to help clients successfully target

high-potential audiences, both globally and within specific countries.

For more information, please visit www.gfk.com

Source: GfK