Verification: Do Middle-Aged Women's Motivations Translate into Action? Joint Survey on Protein Intake Habituation and Increased Exercise Frequency by Vital Proteins × ANYTIME FITNESS × mi-mollet

Nestlé Japan Ltd. (Headquarters: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; Representative Director, President and CEO: Tatsuhiko Fukaya; hereinafter 'Nestlé Japan'), in collaboration with 'Vital Proteins,' Fast Fitness Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Kohei Inoue), the domestic master franchisee of the 24-hour, 365-day fitness gym 'ANYTIME FITNESS,' and 'mi-mollet,' a web magazine operated by Kodansha Ltd. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Shonosuke Noma), conducted a survey targeting participants in the 'Life Motivate Program.' This survey confirmed signs of positive changes in health awareness and daily behavior among middle-aged women, starting from 'actions that are easy to incorporate without strain.'

■ Three Discoveries Revealed by the Survey

① Behavioral Change Begins with 'Small Habits'

While there was no significant change in exercise time, exercise frequency showed an increasing trend.

It was confirmed that 'short-duration, low-intensity' actions tend to be more easily incorporated into daily life.

② Is 'Ease' the Secret? Habituation of Protein Intake

Overall, the frequency of protein (including collagen) intake showed an increasing trend.

Providing 'Vital Proteins,' which can be easily consumed by 'mixing into drinks' or 'adding to cooking,' was considered to have led to the habituation of protein intake.

③ Improvement in Subjective Health Awareness

Subjective physical health scores improved by approximately 10%, and psychological aspects such as mood and motivation for activity also showed an improving trend.

■ 'Effortless Self-Care' as a Catalyst for Action

Participants commented, 'I became more conscious of my health' and 'I felt motivated to move within my capabilities.' These results suggest that even for middle-aged women who are busy and tend to put themselves last, 'self-care that can be started without strain' can be a trigger to resume action.

* 'Self-care' refers to proactive efforts to maintain and manage one's health through lifestyle habits such as exercise and diet.

■ Behavioral Change Process

This survey confirmed the following process:

Simulated experience through articles, videos, and events

Action of 'trying just a little bit'

Changes in awareness regarding diet and overall lifestyle

Increased interest in exercise and gyms

A gradual change characterized by 'awareness → small actions → daily changes' emerged as a feature.

■ Characteristics of the Initiative (Three-Company Collaboration)

This program is characterized by combining the following:

Awareness-raising through media (mi-mollet)

Behavioral experience through fitness (ANYTIME FITNESS)

Promoting habituation through the provision of protein (including collagen) (Vital Proteins)

It was an initiative designed to integrate 'awareness × action × habit' to demonstrate behavioral change.

■ Implications for the Future

This survey yielded the following implications:

'Ease' promotes behavioral change more than 'effort'

Dietary habits have a lower barrier to entry than exercise

Content experience (videos, events) serves as a starting point for action

The importance of 'sustainable design' is suggested for supporting the health of middle-aged women.

■ Background: 'Health' is the Biggest Concern for Middle-Aged Women

According to the 'Middle-Aged Women's White Paper 2023' published by 'mi-mollet,' 'health, medical care, and illness' is the most highly concerned topic among women in their 40s and 50s, surpassing beauty and fashion.

■ Future Developments

'Vital Proteins' will continue to support healthy lifestyles for consumers by proposing self-care habits that can be easily incorporated into daily life. In particular, focusing on the simplicity of 'just mixing into drinks,' we will strengthen experiential initiatives in the future.

【'Health' is the Biggest Concern for Middle-Aged Women】

In recent years, interest in self-care has been growing among middle-aged women. According to the 'Middle-Aged Women's White Paper 2023' (※1) published by Kodansha's 'mi-mollet' in 2023, 'health, medical care, and illness' was the most frequent answer for both 'current concerns' and 'concerns that have increased compared to 10 years ago' among mi-mollet readers in their 40s and 50s. 'Health' has become the biggest concern, surpassing fashion, beauty, and cooking.

(※1) 【mi-mollet】'Middle-Aged Women's White Paper 2023' Overview: An internet survey targeting mi-mollet readers. Details are available in the 'Middle-Aged Women's White Paper 2023'

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