Summer Time Vitamin Use

Toronto, ON - According to a national poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid for Bayer Inc., two-thirds (67%) of Canadians self-report having taken vitamins over the past year. Among this group, the frequency of vitamin usage throughout the year is highest in the winter (92%), which is when users say they are least likely to feel the healthiest. Just 3% of vitamin users say that they feel the healthiest in the winter, while 61% say that they feel the healthiest in the summer. In fact, among users, 30% stop taking vitamins during the summer months compared to 27% during the spring, 25% during the fall and just 8% say that they stop taking vitamins in the winter. Comparatively, men (54%) between the ages of 18 and 34 (43%) are more likely to skip vitamins during summer months.

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid/Bayer Inc. poll conducted between May 8th and May 10th, 2001. The poll is based on a randomly selected sample of 1,000 adult Canadians, 668 of whom have taken vitamins in the past twelve months. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult Canadian population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to the 1996 Census data.

Three in Ten (30%) Vitamin Users Say They Don't Take Vitamins in the Summer - - But, Just 8% Skip During the Winter

Of the two-thirds (67%) of Canadians who say that they have taken vitamins in the last twelve months, three in ten (30%) say that they don't take vitamins in the summer. Users say that they are most likely to take vitamins during the winter (92%) and are less likely in the fall (75%), spring (73%) and summer (70%). When those Canadians who do not take vitamins during the summer months are asked why they do not to take them, the responses are evenly split. From a list of possible reasons for not taking vitamins during the summer months, three in ten (30%) say they "just feel better in the summer", another three in ten (30%) say that they "get enough vitamins from food in the summer" and a final three in ten (28%) say that they "are less likely to get sick in the summer". Just 3% say that they "simply forgot to take vitamins in the summer", while 2% say that they "get more vitamins from the sun" or "exercise in the summer".

Who are the 30% who stop taking vitamins during the summer? They are men (54%), between the ages of 18 and 34 (43%). These lapsed users are most likely to be from Ontario (35%) or Quebec (33%).

• Women (75%) are significantly more likely than men (59%) to have taken vitamins in the past year.
• Canadians in high income households, earning $60k+ (72%) are more likely than those with a household income between $30k to $60k (66%) and those who's household income is under $30k (61%) to say that they have taken vitamins in the past year.
• British Columbians (80%) and Albertans (79%) are more likely to have taken vitamins in the past year than residents of any other province: Ontario (68%), Saskatchewan/Manitoba (67%), Atlantic Canada (64%) and Quebec (55%).

Six in Ten Users (61%) Say They Feel Healthiest in the Summer - - Only 3% Say They Feel Healthiest in the Winter

Similar to the reasons that Canadian vitamin users give for not taking vitamins during the summer -less likely to get sick and just feel better -users say they are most likely to feel the healthiest in the summer (61%). This is followed by spring (16%) and fall (11%). Just 3% of Canadian vitamin users say they feel the healthiest in the winter, the months when vitamin use is the highest (92%).

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Janet Lazaris
Senior Vice- President
Ipsos-Reid
(416) 324-2900