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Romanians are increasingly aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and this is also reflected in the concern for food, given that 69pct of Romanians say they choose foodstuffs as natural as possible, and 68pct opt for foodstuffs of Romanian origin, shows a study by a company specialized in market research and consulting.
"The interest of Romanians in healthy eating is not necessarily a novelty, but it has become a more visible trend under the influence of factors such as: educational campaigns launched by authorities in the media (related to salt, water, fat, alcohol), initiatives of some popular retailers to encourage the consumption of local, fresh or natural products, the intensive promotion of organic ranges or healthy ingredients," said Mirela Balcan, Senior Partner Mind the Gap.
The attention paid to food also emerges from the fact that the dedicated information sources - TV shows, blogs and websites on health, nutrition, movement, etc are accessed by 35pct of Romanians. Also as a confirmation of this direction, 34pct of Romanians take dietary supplements or use various natural treatments to prevent the onset of diseases.
The Mind the Gap study shows the concern for a healthy lifestyle is not only reflected in food choices, but also in awareness of the importance of exercise and sport. Thus, 32pct of Romanians declare that they do sports at least once a week, and among these the most active are young people between the ages of 16 and 29, of whom 56pct exercise. At the opposite end, the most sedentary age group is 50-59, with only 16pct. As much as 24pct of Romanians also use gadgets that help them monitor the quality of their sleep, their caloric intake or their physical activity.
"In addition to the desire to look good, to be cool, the interest in physical activity can come as a compensation for a stressful and sedentary lifestyle, with many hours spent at work and in traffic. The idea of doing sports, not necessarily constantly and in a very organized way, gives people the feeling that they have done something for their health. The fact that Romanians are starting to do more sports is also visible in popular competitions, which have become real urban events. At the same time, the gym membership has become a usual mechanism to motivate employees in companies, and the acquisition of smart devices dedicated to sport is a common behavior among young people in big cities," added Mirela Balcan, Senior Partner Mind the Gap.
The study was conducted in March 2019, at national level (urban and rural), on a sample of 1,000 people aged between 16 and 70 years old, using the CATI method, in a partnership between Mind the Gap and Mia Research.
