Nielsen found that simultaneous users were most engaged in general interest, e-mail, and online social networks. Sports sites, which might be more directly associated with the game itself, were visited by 18% of simultaneous users.

Almost a quarter of simultaneous users spent some time during the game on Facebook. Those users spent an average of 15 minutes on the site. Google and Yahoo! Mail were also popular destinations for Super Bowl viewers.

Part 5 of 5 on Healthy Eating Trends and Myths

Tom Pirovano, Director of Industry Insights

For years, retailers, manufacturers and marketers have been clamoring for a single benchmark that would facilitate comparisons of healthy eating patterns by key regions and time periods. Although The Nielsen Company has frequently reported on healthy eating trends, most insights have been focused on individual characteristics or product claims like “organic” or “fat free.” The missing piece of the puzzle has been a single measure that includes a combination of several key healthy eating indicators across multiple categories.

By combining the sales of 13 healthy eating components relative to total (UPC-coded food sales), the Nielsen Healthy Eating Index can track healthy eating choices over time and monitor the impact of industry health and wellness initiatives. The index is calculated by adding supermarket sales for products with health claims on their label, like “natural” or “reduced calorie.” Sales are also added from some inherently healthy categories like fresh produce.

Adjustments are made to give more weight to key healthy eating indicators with relatively low sales like omega and antioxidant claims. Other health claims with strong sales like “reduced fat” and “natural” are given less weight to avoid having fluctuations in commodity prices adding volatility to the Index.

Some products with multiple health claims like bread labeled “organic,” “whole wheat” and “high fiber” are counted in each group. The total dollar volume of these products is then divided by total UPC-coded food sales to make sure the Index is not disrupted by severe changes in total food volume or pricing.

For example, the data below shows that dollar sales of foods making an “antioxidant” claim represent 4.1% of the Index based on dollars and a weighting factor of 200%. Products with “Fat” claims make the largest contribution to the Index – even when excluding milk sales and factoring by 50%.

According to the Nielsen Healthy Eating Index, the U.S. is making progress on the healthy eating front, scoring 402 in 2009 vs. 389 in 2008. The chart below shows the seasonal nature of healthy eating habits across the U.S. You’ll notice that every year, consumers make unhealthy food choices over the holidays. Then in January, diets get back on track and healthy eating is a priority again. Another observation is that January seems to set the tone for healthy eating throughout the year. The month of September (back-to-school) is another time when Americans tend to make healthier food decisions.

The Nielsen Healthy Eating Index is a subjective approach to measuring healthy eating trends including better-for-you alternatives. It will allow both retailers and manufacturers to measure their efforts to promote healthier food choices. For more information on food and nutrition, visit the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org. For information on USDA’s dietary guidance and recommendations, visit www.mypyramid.gov.

Over time we expect to fine-tune the Nielsen Index based on the latest nutritional research available. Stay tuned to Nielsen Wire for more on this new metric. In the coming weeks, we will look at January healthy eating trends setting the pace for 2010. We’ll also compare major U.S. markets using the Nielsen Healthy Eating Index.

Healthy Eating Trends

• Part 1: Commitment Trumps the Economic Pinch
• Part 2: Organic Enthusiasts Remain Loyal
• Part 3: Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have To Cost More
• Part 4: Store Brands Expand Healthy Offerings
• Part 5: Healthy Eating Index Debuts

Part 4 of 5 on Healthy Eating Trends and Myths

Tom Pirovano, Director of Industry Insights

U.S. retailers continue to make progress in offering store brand products with health claims relevant to shoppers looking for healthier food choices. Store brands flexed their marketing muscle in the health claims arena putting impressive growth numbers on the leader board in emerging, albeit smaller, trend areas such as genetically modified organism (GMO) free, gluten free and absence of a specific fat. Store brands now comprise almost 40% of products with preservative claims, one-fourth of organic product sales, and nearly one-fifth of all products with natural and fat claims in food/drug/mass merchandise retailers.

Supermarkets have been quick to launch certified organic products with their own store brands. And in the natural food channel, research from SPINS shows that the natural food consumer will migrate to items that deliver natural product benefits and full flavor under a familiar retail banner.

The success of Topco’s Full Circle line encompassing more than 1,000 products in 90 categories, the 300 “O” Organics products and 200 Eating Right items speak to the potential of retailer brands throughout the store. More categories are soon to follow, based on the recent announcement that Sam’s Club plans on launching a private label Rue 33 premium French vodka, likely inspired by the success of rival Costco’s Kirkland label of vodka, scotch, tequila, wines and beer.

Conversely, store brand development lags with respect to the products with newer claims such as high fructose corn syrup free, with many retailers adopting a wait-and-see attitude to determine if a claim has “legs” or is merely the latest blip on the consumer trend screen.

Healthy Eating Trends

• Part 1: Commitment Trumps the Economic Pinch
• Part 2: Organic Enthusiasts Remain Loyal
• Part 3: Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have To Cost More
• Part 4: Store Brands Expand Healthy Offerings
• Part 5: Healthy Eating Index Debuts