St. Louis, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ recent survey of baby boomers revealed that their positive outlook on their own health and that of their spouses' may not sync up with reality. According to the survey(1) conducted by Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ENR), more than seven out of ten respondents (73 percent) rated their health - and the health of their spouse - as good or excellent. However, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, half of Americans in the 55 to 64 age group have high blood pressure and two in five are obese(2).
This survey is part of Energizer's year-round "Live Healthy. KEEP GOING(R)" campaign to educate baby boomers about better ways to live a healthy, active lifestyle - with some help from key battery-powered devices.
Additional survey findings include:To address key health issues and provide helpful ways to manage them, Energizer's "Live Healthy. KEEP GOING(R)" program is teaming up with celebrity fitness guru and fellow boomer Denise Austin and working with respected physicians in their field to provide tips on heart health, diabetes management and hearing loss.
- Don't go changing, well, maybe just a little bit. When asked if they
would change anything about their spouse's health habits, more than
four out of ten wished their spouses would exercise more (48 percent);
lose weight (41 percent);and eat healthier (41 percent).- Low expectations or the look of love? When asked how their wife was
aging, 39 percent of men said "better than expected";women gave their
husbands lower marks - only 30 percent thought their husbands were
aging better than they expected. On the flip side, 18 percent of
women responded their husband was aging worse than they expected;
whereas only 11 percent of men gave their wife the "worse than
expected" designation. Nearly half of all respondents (48 percent)
thought their spouse was aging "as expected."- If exercise only came in a pill. More than two thirds of respondents
(68 percent) report taking vitamins or nutritional supplements to
maintain a healthy lifestyle, but only one third (33 percent) admit to
exercising regularly.- Every step counts. Of those who exercise, 13 percent use a pedometer
or mp3 player as an incentive to keep up with their exercise program.- Exercise? I'd rather not. While a third of respondents (33 percent)
found exercise energizing and a way to keep up during times of stress,
a majority of respondents (66 percent) admitted they dislike exercise
or find it to be a hassle.
"It's evident that a majority of baby boomers are working to maintain their health through either diet or exercise, but we could all use a few pointers from experts like Denise to help bridge the gap to overall health and wellness," said Melinda Jordan, brand manager, Energizer Specialty Batteries.
For health and fitness advice from the experts, or to learn more about the Energizer "Live Healthy. KEEP GOING(R)" program, visit energizer.com/livehealthy.
About Energizer:
Energizer Holdings, Inc. [NYSE: ENR], www.energizer.com, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of primary batteries, battery-powered devices and flashlights. Energizer, a global leader in the dynamic business of providing portable power geared toward the new digital age, offers a full portfolio of products including the Energizer(R) MAX(R) premium alkaline brand;Energizer(R) Ultimate Lithium;Energizer(R) Advanced Lithium and Energizer(R) Rechargeable(R) batteries and chargers.
The Energizer product line also includes specialty batteries for hearing aids and medical devices, health and fitness devices, as well as for keyless remote entry systems, watches and other uses. Through its flashlight and lighting products unit, Energizer helps bring consumer insight and innovation to these important household devices. Energizer continues its role as a technology leader for on-the-go lifestyles with its Energizer(R) Energi To Go(R) line of portable battery-driven power packs for cell phones and for use with iPod(R) devices
About Denise Austin
Denise Austin promotes a sensible, realistic and enthusiastic approach to fitness and eating. In her 25 years of working to promote health and fitness, Denise has sold nearly 20 million exercise videos and DVDs. Denise has authored nine books on fitness and appears monthly in Prevention magazine. Denise can be seen on her shows, Denise Austin's Daily Workout and Fit and Lite.
(1) The survey was conducted online with a random sample of 1051 married men and women, 44 -62 years of age (Baby Boomers) - all members of the Impulse Research proprietary online panel. The Impulse Research online panel has been carefully selected to closely match US population demographics and the respondents are representative of American men and women, 44 -62 years of age. Research was conducted in November-December 2008. The overall sampling error rate for this survey is +/-3% at the 95% level of confidence
(2) www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/05news/hus05.htm
For additional information on hearing health and fitness tips, or to learn more about Energizer's "KEEP GOING®. Live Healthy" program, visit energizer.com/livehealthy. You can also visit the Energizer web channel at Audiology Online.
