Peering Into YOUR Crystal Ball: Reader Comments On 2006 Wellness Trends

If you missed the original articles:

Part 1: Nutrition & Fitness

Part 2: Consumers, Technology & Healthcare

Many of you wrote and called with your observations and feedback. We enjoyed reading your comments and talking with you. Here's a sample of what we heard:

• "Right along with what I have been seeing. I have seen a lot in the WSJ and my trade conferences about consumer driven insurance benefits and demands. Flexible spending accounts are also really rising. It appears technology is advancing to the stage that it is now more cost effective to try electronic ventures."
• "What about functional fitness? I see more and more interest from my customers in doing exercises that actually help them with everyday activities."
• "I agree with your overview of baby boomers. Many of my clients want a total body workout with core, balance, breathing, and yoga, integrated with their program."
• "I think customer confusion should be on your list. People hear so many different things all the time about how to be healthy and they're just confused about what's true and what's not and what they should do."
• "Just substantiates what I already believe to be true. Good stuff on older populations."
• "It seems like big health club chains are on every corner."
• "I'm not convinced about restaurants adding more healthy choices. I see healthier foods at my grocery store, but it seems like restaurants are still doing what they've always done...the bigger and fattier the better."
• "Great start to the new year on thinking of how others see the trends. Right in line with what I am seeing."
• "Fitness people and healthcare people working together. Most health clubs, doctors, dieticians etc. don't seem to "get it". But if you keep looking, you can find fitness professionals and healthcare specialists that really want to work together."
• "Excellent information...more nutritional foods for middle school students."
• "I manage a big natural foods store. My church has a weight-loss program. I wonder if more churches will start doing this?"
• "It just so happens that I am working on a presentation, Exercises for the Mature Adult. Your suggestions were timely. I am also working with a natural beverage supplement, Tahitian Noni and was inspired that it too is listed in your article. You are really up to date on this article."
• "I think (hope?) more businesses will start to think about non-Anglo customers."
• "Great information, gives us good starting points to explore."
• "Your 2006 ideas hit the mark! I'd love to see more about mind-body fitness!"
• "I would like to see more details related to functional foods. What should consumers look for when they are deciding to buy a functional food? This knowledge would help consumers determine if the functional benefits outweigh the hazards of the product."
• "Interesting to see the trends."
• "Excellent information."
• "Great topic."