NORWALK, Conn., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The first annual HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey, commissioned by HealthSaver, a national emerging health care discount service, found that the most caffeinated city in the country is Chicago, followed by Tampa, Miami, Phoenix and Atlanta.
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The least caffeinated cities are San Francisco/Oakland, followed closely by Philadelphia, New York, Detroit and Baltimore. The survey considered numerous caffeine sources, including coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, pain relievers and caffeine pills.
Considering caffeinated coffee assumption alone, it was no surprise that Seattle ranked No. 1 nationwide.
The HealthSaver 2007 Caffeinated Cities Survey, released today, was conducted to determine the caffeine consumption habits and attitudes of consumers across the U.S., and to learn more about cultural views and health benefits of this morning pick-me-up, afternoon alert booster and late-night indulgence.
"Drinks and foods with caffeine have become an iconic touchstone of pop culture," said Peggy Fleming, Olympic gold medalist and HealthSaver spokesperson. "With the advent of rich, high-end coffees, soaring popularity of energy drinks and national fascination with green tea, our HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey has brewed up some very interesting trends, findings and results."
The health benefits of caffeine are plentiful and well-documented in numerous studies in recent years. Coffee and tea, in particular, have emerged as good health food sources that can lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson's disease, colon cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver, as well as lift your mood, treat headaches and even lower risk of cavities. Caffeine also enhances athleticism, endurance and performance, according to health care experts.
Here's the buzz on the most and least wired cities:
Most Caffeinated Cities: Least Caffeinated Cities:
1. Chicago 1. San Francisco/Oakland
2. Tampa 2. Philadelphia
3. Miami 3. New York
4. Phoenix 4. Detroit
5. Atlanta 5. Baltimore
Other cities surveyed include Houston, Boston, St. Louis, Seattle, Los Angeles, Riverside, Calif., Washington, D.C., San Diego, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Dallas/Ft Worth.
"This survey is an eye-opening study into the daily habits of thousands of Americans, and provides keen insight into consumption of many of our favorite products," said Brad Eggleston, vice president of HealthSaver. "This groundbreaking research is an important tool to help educate about the health benefits of moderate caffeine consumption in the United States."
Seattle ranked No. 1 in coffee consumption, with 58 percent of residents surveyed saying this elixir of alertness would be the most difficult caffeine product to give up.
One-half of all respondents nationwide said they drink caffeinated coffee every day, while caffeinated cola was next with a 21 percent daily consumption rate. Sweets containing chocolate and caffeinated teas are also very popular, the survey found.
Some survey findings:
Most Coffee Consumption Least Coffee Consumption
Regular coffee & specialty coffee drinks
1. Seattle/Tacoma 1. Dallas/Ft. Worth
2. Boston 2. New York
3. Houston 3. St. Louis
4. Chicago 4. Atlanta
5. Miami 5. Philadelphia
Most Cola Consumption Least Cola Consumption
Regular Coke, regular Pespi, Mountain Dew
1. Chicago 1. Philadelphia
2. Dallas/Ft. Worth 2. New York
3. St. Louis 3. Miami
4. Atlanta 4. Seattle/Tacoma
5. Tampa 5. San Francisco/Oakland
Most Tea Consumption Least Tea Consumption
Green tea, iced tea, black tea
1. Miami 1. Minneapolis/St. Paul
2. Tampa 2. Detroit
3. Washington, D.C. 3. San Francisco/Oakland
4. Philadelphia 4. Seattle/Tacoma
5. Atlanta 5. Boston
Most Chocolate Consumption Least Chocolate Consumption
Candy, ice cream, cake, cookies
1. Chicago 1. Los Angeles
2. Atlanta 2. Riverside/San Bernardino
3. Minneapolis/St. Paul 3. Houston
4. Phoenix 4. Miami
5. St. Louis 5. Dallas/Ft. Worth
Most Energy Drink Consumption Least Energy Drink Consumption
Red Bull, etc.
1. Riverside/San Bernardino 1. Philadelphia
2. Los Angeles 2. San Francisco/Oakland
3. Chicago 3. Houston
4. Miami 4. Dallas/Ft. Worth
5. New York 5. Boston
Cities Most Likely To Say Cities Most Likely To Say
Caffeine Is Good For You Caffeine Is Bad For You
1. Seattle/Tacoma 1. Los Angeles
2. Chicago 2. Riverside/San Bernardino
3. Miami 3. San Francisco/Oakland
4. San Diego 4. New York
5. Boston 5. Atlanta
Cities Most Addicted To Cities Least Addicted To
Caffeine Caffeine
1. Boston 1. New York
2. Minneapolis 2. Philadelphia
3. San Diego 3. Miami
4. Chicago 4. Houston
5. Atlanta 5. Tampa
Consumers tipped their coffee cups on a variety of caffeine-related trends:
-- Nearly one-half of all respondents (44 percent) said coffee would be
the hardest to give up.
-- Men are slightly more likely than women (47 percent vs. 42 percent) to
say coffee would be the hardest to give up.
-- Overall 71 percent of all respondents said they are not addicted to
caffeine.
-- Among age groups, the older the group, the more likely they are to say
coffee would be the most difficult caffeinated product to give up.
Other key findings of the study:
-- Women are more likely than men to say they are addicted to caffeine (31
percent of women vs. 26 percent of men).
-- A majority (60 percent) said they consume about the same amount of
caffeine as they did a year ago.
-- The younger the age group, the more likely they are to say they consume
more caffeine than a year ago.
-- Among respondents consuming less caffeine, 39 percent said it is
because they are seeking to improve their health; and one-fourth (25
percent) of those consuming less caffeine are doing so because of a
change of diet/currently on a diet plan.
-- Most who said they consume more caffeine than a year ago said they do
so because their everyday routine is more demanding. Another 15
percent said it was because they have more access to caffeine, and six
percent said they consume more because of fatigue due to sleep
problems.
-- Over one-half of respondents said they are way over their ideal weight
(9 percent) or over their ideal weight (54 percent). Less than one
percent said they were way under their ideal weight.
HealthSaver, an emerging health care discount program, offers savings on prescriptions, vision care, complementary and alternative health care treatments, vitamins and supplements by mail and more than 1,500 fitness clubs nationwide, including select Bally Total Fitness, World Gym and Ladies Workout Express locations.
About Peggy Fleming
Peggy Fleming, a spokesperson for HealthSaver, is one of America's most successful athletes. As the 1968 Olympic figure skating champion, she launched a career that has helped promote healthy living, breast cancer awareness and osteoporosis prevention. Fleming has been happily married for 37 years to Dr. Greg Jenkins, with whom she has two sons. They are also the proud grandparents of three grandsons.
Survey Methodology
Prince Market Research, an independent marketing research company, was commissioned to conduct a nationally representative telephone study with consumers in 20 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. to learn more about their use of caffeine in everyday beverages and food. All telephone calls were conducted between Aug. 1 and Sept. 18, 2007, during which period, a total of 2,035 interviews, lasting an average of five minutes, were completed. No incentive was offered and the sponsor of the research was not revealed. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent.
About HealthSaver
HealthSaver offers discounts of 20 percent on vision care, as well as discounts of 10 to 50 percent on prescriptions at participating pharmacies, 20 percent off complementary and alternative health care treatments and fitness club benefits. HealthSaver also offers discounts of 10 to 35 percent on dental care services at some 42,000 participating provider locations nationwide, including routine cleanings, X-rays, fillings, orthodontics, and even popular cosmetic dentistry procedures such as teeth whitening. Members can also save from 5 to 50 percent off vitamins and supplements by mail. Discounts are based upon reasonable and customary costs or manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) and are only available from participating providers. HealthSaver is not an insurance product or service. More information about HealthSaver is available online at http://www.healthsaver.com/ or toll free by calling 1-800-7HEALTH (1-800-743-2584). HealthSaver is offered by Affinion Group, a leader in the membership, insurance and loyalty marketing businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans.
About Affinion Group, Inc.
As a global leader with nearly 35 years of experience, Affinion Group (http://www.affinion.com/) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing valuable loyalty, membership, checking account, insurance and other compelling products and services. Leveraging its expertise in product development and targeted marketing, Affinion helps generate significant incremental revenue for more than 5,200 affinity partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Norwalk, Conn., the company has approximately 3,000 employees throughout the United States and in 14 countries across Europe.
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