July 2009 Archives

An article in the July 6 Adweek caught my eye with the clever headline "Frugality Is the New Black." Here are a couple quotes from the article that sum up its premise: "Parents and families are shifting to a new value system where keeping up with the Joneses is out and teaching the kids about responsible spending is in." Also in ". . . putting brands' feet to the fire and demanding they prove their worth to consumers who increasingly buy generic products in a hunt for deals."

One of the "consumer context planning" experts (I love that title!) commenting in the article said that brands have to understand that the consumer need vs. want mind-set is changing - fast. Brands need to (re)earn their place at the table. How?

·         By understanding their targets

·         By providing value 

·         By demonstrating the fundamental benefits they offer consumers

Many food and beverage companies have zeroed in on moms - gatekeepers of the cupboard and of family health - as a primary target. For this audience, healthful products and/or healthful ways to use products create value and deliver real benefits. Evidence - like that collected by the American Dietetic Association's Evidence Library and through food companies' own research, which often is not fully mined - is fundamental to successfully positioning nutrition as a benefit. If frugality is cool, nutrient-rich food is a good place to invest.

When I say farming, I am not talking about agriculture in the traditional sense. Rather, I am referring to the social gaming brand of farming - the kind you do on Facebook for fun. This isn't for kids - I know plenty of adults with "property" on Farm Town or FarmVille.  Farm Town, with more than 10 million players, is number 5 on this month's list of top 10 Facebook games, and FarmVille with about 5 million players, is number 8.

Restaurant City is in on the list, too, at number 7 with almost 6 million "proprietors."  There, if you are not already too busy raising grass-fed beef or trading heirloom seeds with your fellow farmer-gamers, you can create your own restaurant with a "menu of amazing dishes" and  trade recipes with your friends.  Or you might want to try number 6 on the top 10 list, which has  close to 8 million players. It's the virtual world called YoVille, where you can have your character grab some food at Vinny's Diner and then watch what it does to his/her energy level.

With all this food-related activity on Facebook, can "Krebs Cycle - the Game" be far away?

Vacation time with my family has kept me away from blogging for a couple weeks. Whenever I pack for a trip - business or pleasure - I always bring along a stack of reading I want to catch up on. Of course, my intent always exceeds the reality of what I am able to accomplish!

I did come across some interesting articles in my reading over the past couple weeks that I would like to share over the next few blogs. The first is a supplement to the February Journal of the American College of Nutrition (JACN) that focused on dairy foods. In the spirit of full disclosure, let me say that throughout my various leadership positions within The American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Foundation, I have had a long relationship with the National Dairy Council and am a big fan of the council for its commitment to research and education. Even without this professional tie, however, I think it's safe to say I would be a supporter of low-fat dairy products as an important component of the diet at any age.

Now, back to the JACN supplement. I took away a key piece of information that I think is worth remembering as we plan an agenda for disease prevention and health promotion in the new era of health care:

NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data shows that a significant number of Americans do not meet recommendations for calcium, potassium and magnesium. Within current dietary patterns, 3 to 4 daily servings of dairy products are necessary to meet these goals. This shortfall has ramifications not only for bone health but also, as articles in the supplement explore, for the prevention of insulin resistance syndrome, type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity - chronic conditions that promise to continue to stress the health care system until we find ways to intervene upstream with prevention strategies.

We know what nutrient-rich foods can do - and that knowledge base grows daily. Now more research is needed to identify the barriers to consumption, devise ways to break down those barriers, change behavior and evaluate results.

P.S. Just as I was about to close this posting, I saw an article in USA Today that highlights Adam Drewnowski's research on optimal nutrition per dollar. He has compared average national prices per portion with the nutritional value of various foods, per 100 calories, to reveal best buys - that is, the middle ground between most nutritious yet expensive and the not-so-healthy in each food group. No RD will be surprised to hear that, according to Dr. Drewnowski, "milk is off the charts" as a nutritious food for the money. In a culture where frugality is becoming a core value, the dollar may be a healthy diet's best friend.