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Health overview
Using claimed height and weight data, TNS calculated the BMI (Body Mass Index - Kg/m2). The results of this are given in the chart below.
It shows that about three-fifth (60 per cent) of the local population is over-weight. However, what is interesting is the manner in which BMI varies across gender and age groups.
As age increases, so does BMI - this would be clearly an indication of the increase in sedentary lifestyle as one ages. What is noteworthy, is the fact that in their younger years, females have a better BMI than men - however as they age, females tend to put on more weight than men.
As women age, they tend to get heavier and it is perhaps natural for a woman to put on up to 1kg/year or more. The majority of Saudi women in mid to upper social classes have maids who tend to take care of the majority of household responsibilities.
Most women do try dieting from time to time, but overall few exercise or do aerobics. Due to their conservative lifestyle, they spend most of their free time in social activities that involve food in one way or another. For some, walking in the mall or around the block is their only exercise.
Affluence however does not have any impact on BMI in Saudi Arabia, unlike other developing countries where people belonging to the lower social classes have malnutrition problems and are underweight.
Yes, overall the Saudi population is overweight - but do they consider themselves to be overweight? We asked them a question to describe their body weight in relation to the other people in the Saudi society at large and the responses again reveal an intriguing picture.
Nearly 38 per cent of the population considered themselves to be lighter in weight than they actually were. Or put another way, more than half (57 per cent) of people who are overweight / obese considered themselves to be of lighter than the average weight.
This could be interpreted in two ways - either it could be self-denial or because overall Saudi society is on average overweight, it could be that in contrast to the rest of society they perceive themselves to be fitter than they actually are.
Either way, it is worrisome given that these people do not perceive their weight to be a problem and are perhaps less likely to take any preventive measures.
Saudi society
Four segments were uncovered in the research: A brief description of each is given below, followed by some possible marketing cues to tap into each segment more effectively.
Segment 1: Inner Harmony (22 per cent)
These are people who think that good health comes from being naturally healthy and having physiological peace. Interestingly enough this is the segment that is overweight bordering on obese (based on the computed BMI).
They also acknowledge this fact and consider their health to be poor and perceive themselves to be quite overweight compared to others.
Having woken up to the fact that their health is not as good as it should be, they do take some steps to improve by doing health checkups and following a dieting programme.
