Female Athletes as Female Athletes as the Next Target the Next Target

Market for Sports Market for Sports Dietary Supplements Dietary Supplements

  

Girls Gone Wild:Girls Gone Wild:

ObjectivesObjectives

Examine the changing demographics of sports participation for both boys and girls in US;

Provide overview of sports dietary supplement use among young athletes;

Highlight girls/young women as burgeoning target market for sports supplement manufacturers;

Provide research to support evidence for targeting this potential market;

Suggest call to action

90, 185 fans in attendance

40 million watched on TV

Some believe it was the single greatest women’s sporting moment of the half-century.

A great time to be a athleteA great time to be a athlete

Nat’l Fed. of State High School AssociationsNat’l Fed. of State High School Associations

Year Boys Participation

Girls Participation

Total

1970-71 3,666,917 294,015 3,960,932

1988-89 3,416,844 1,839, 852 5,256,196

2003-04 4,038,253 2,865,299 6,903,552

Most popular girls programs (#’s approx)Most popular girls programs (#’s approx)

1. Basketball 450K2. Track & Field 420K3. Volleyball 400K4. Softball 360K5. Soccer 300K6. Tennis 160K7. X-country 160K8. Swimming & Diving 150K9. Spirit squads 90K10. Golf 65K

In 2003-04In 2003-04

1.1. 808 schools had girls wrestling. (# of schools 808 schools had girls wrestling. (# of schools in 1989 – 0) in 1989 – 0)

2.2. 404 schools had ice hockey404 schools had ice hockey

3.3. 214 schools had weightlifting214 schools had weightlifting

4.4. 163 schools had baseball163 schools had baseball

National Council of Youth SportsReport on Trends and Participation in Organized Youth Sports, 2001 Edition

According to National Council of Youth

Sports, between 1997-2001

Total participation among all athletes in youth sports was 53 million athletes (some overlap occurred)

Approx. makeup of athletes was: – Boys (63%)

– Girls (37%)

National Council of Youth SportsReport on Trends and Participation in Organized Youth Sports, 2001 Edition

National Council of Youth Sports, between

1997-2001

Girls participation in youth sports increased in every age group other than the 16-18 age group.

Boys participation decreased in every age group other than the 16-18 age group.

X-treme participationX-treme participation

Heavily marketed recreational/leisure sports:

1. Surfing

2. Snow boarding

3. Skate boarding

4. BMX

5. Inline skating

The Fitness RevolutionThe Fitness Revolution

“BALCO…”

“Steroids/performance enhancers world-wide issue …”

The “Cream” and THG tip of the iceberg.”

“Creatine’s benefits are obvious, but long term effects are

unknown…”

1998 GNC, Inc. tops $2 Billion in revenue, opens new store

every 12 hours. Sold for $2.5 billion to Rexall Drugs.

2003 – Rexall sells GNC for $750 million.

Recent Headlines:Recent Headlines:

Recent Headlines:Recent Headlines:

“BALCO…”

“Steroids/performance enhancers world-wide issue …”

The “Cream” and THG tip of the iceberg.”

“Creatine’s benefits are obvious, but long term effects are

unknown…”

1998 GNC, Inc. tops $2 Billion in revenue, opens new store

every 12 hours. Sold for $2.5 billion to Rexall Drugs.

2003 – Rexall sells GNC for $750 million.

By the NumbersBy the Numbers In 2003 the dietary supplement industry saw

profits of $18 billion dollars.

Sports supplements in particular saw $6 billion.

Men are targeted for muscle, women for weight loss; all are targeted to be lifetime customers

No real estimate on number of different products on market, 500 – 1000.

Among special interest groups politically, it’s been said the dietary supplement lobby is second only to the NRA in terms of influence and power.

1994 Dietary Supplements Health and 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA)Education Act (DSHEA)

DSHEA provides that: Claims may not be made about the use

of a dietary supplement to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure a specific disease

Dietary supplement products must bear ingredient labeling.

Key caveat of DSHEA:Manufactures and distributors do not need to register with the FDA or get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.

However…However…

At the end of the day…At the end of the day…

“The law still requires that if you want to know if this stuff is safe or not, you as the consumer have to analyze it – not the gov’t, and not the supplement companies.”

Dietary Supplements, DefinedDietary Supplements, Defined

1950’s:1950’s: “A product in capsule, tablet, or

liquid form that provides an essential nutrient - such as a vitamin, a mineral, or a protein.”

Current Formal Definition of a Dietary Supplement:Current Formal Definition of a Dietary Supplement:

“A product (other than tobacco) that is intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total daily intake, or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combinations of these ingredients, is intended for ingestion in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form, and is not represented for use as a conventional food or as the sole item of a meal or diet.”

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Position Paper on Dietary Supplement’sPosition Paper on Dietary Supplement’s,, (1994, unchanged 1998), medical evidence suggests only certain subgroups of people need dietary supplements. For example:

Increased iron needed for pregnant women, Special formulas for infants and small children, Folate for women of child bearing years, Strict vegans, and Calcium for adolescent girls and young women.

Who needs em?Who needs em?

Target Market – Young Athletes:Target Market – Young Athletes:“If you market it – they will buy”“If you market it – they will buy”

Current Current “HOT”“HOT” supplements and supplements and CompaniesCompanies

Creatine HMB N02 Glutamine Ephedra-free

products 1-AD Myoplex

Cell Tech EAS MetRx Weider Nutrition Twin Labs

Among published reasons for use among Among published reasons for use among athletes:athletes:

Improves performance, Muscle development, Treats illness, Helps with growth, and Combats tiredness.

Influences on use were:Influences on use were:

Parents, Peers, Coaches, Physicians, Athletic trainers, Media Professional athletes, Health food stores, and Health clubs/gyms.

Influences on useInfluences on use

Super sized!Super sized!

Girl PowerGirl Power

"Today, women are heavily influenced by editorial in what they buy and wear. Reebok's goal was to create a modern, branded destination that brings the influential magazine world to life," Jan Sharkansky, vice president and general manager of women's.

Reebok press release on the opening of another Reebok store, 2003

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                    

 

                       

       

                                                            

                            

                  

                  

                  

                  

BLUETORCH is a cross-media network of television, print, Internet media and competitive events targeting the more than 50 million "Gen Y" participants and fans of skateboarding, wakeboarding, surfing, bodyboarding, snowboarding,

inline skating, motocross and BMX

                                                                                                    

                                                                                                    

 

                       

       

                                                            

                            

                  

                  

                  

                  

“Girls' action sports are a vital part of the market, yet its participants have

been incredibly overlooked and underserved.“

Bluetorch VP of interactive Media, 2003

Winner of the Body for Life Contest…

Ms. Nomer.

Body for Life!

After…

before and after

Not just for boysNot just for boys “Designed specifically to meet the

needs of physically active women, femme advantage has all the benefits of our FEMME Creatine serum and eliminates the side effects associated with powdered Creatine, such as bloating, water retention, and bulking up. It comes in many great tasting flavors and its natural ingredients are safe for women of all ages. “

Long-lasting energy* Helps kids with focus* Sugar-free Provides focused and

long-lasting energy that's just right for children.*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

KickStart ImmunoBurst™ is an excellent source of vitamin C that helps strengthen and support a child's immune system. Its great-tasting formula also helps keep kids healthy.*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

The entire back cover of a recent bodybuilding magazine consisted of this ad.

In Williams (1994) “The Use of Nutritional Ergogenic Aids in Sports: Is it an Ethical Issue?” Dr. Williams reminds us of the following :

The Olympic ideal is the belief that athletes should succeed through their own unaided effort.

Ethical considerations:Ethical considerations:

The distribution The distribution list for this list for this publication is:publication is:

A.D. Coaches P.E. A.T. S.I.D.

The back cover of The back cover of Sports Sports

Supplement -Supplement -

What message What message are we sending?are we sending?

ResearchResearch

Bartee & Perko, 2001Bartee & Perko, 2001

MethodologyMethodology

Convenience sample of 2225 female adolescents

Enrolled in grades 7 -12 Nine public middle and high schools in

Cherokee and Cobb Counties, Georgia

Data CollectionData Collection

Winter and Spring of 1999 Parental consent Administered by Teacher Students who returned consent forms were

allowed to complete the questionnaire Voluntary Confidentiality was protected

ResultsResults

Use by Demographics Reasons for Use Prediction of use among female athletes

Sport Supplement Use among Sport Supplement Use among Female Adolescents by Athletic Female Adolescents by Athletic

StatusStatus

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Yes,current

No, usedto

No, triedthem

No,never

athlete (n=781)non-athlete (n=1422)

GradeGrade(N=2225)(N=2225)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

7th 9th 11th

% ofsample% whouse

Grade n

– Seventh 108

– Eighth 226

– Ninth 435

– Tenth 581

– Eleventh463

– Twelfth 412

EthnicityEthnicity(N=2213)(N=2213)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1 2 3 4 5 6

% ofsample% whouse

Ethnicity n

1. white 1840

2. African-American 157

3. Asian-American 55

4. American-Indian 32

5. Hispanic/Latino 69

6. Other 60

RecommendationsRecommendations Identify use of dietary supplements among

recreational female athletes. Development of instruments that are appropriate

for female athletes. Development of controlled interventions targeted

at specific populations. Evaluate and modify interventions. Continue to stress importance of playing sports for

enjoyment and health, build supportive culture within girl sports organization.

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Relationship of sport supplement use with other behaviors

Sports supplements and body image

How does sport supplement use influence goal setting and expectation of goal attainment relating to anthropological measures?

Call to ActionCall to Action

Those interested or currently working with females in physical activity and nutrition related programs should be knowledgeable about the reasons for use of supplements, and the specific influences/reasons for use (different from boys).