And it’s getting political too. First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, new USDA Center-of-the Plate recommendations, state programs (e.g., “First 5 California”) and global initiatives (e.g., “International Obesity Task Force Secretariat”) are all aimed at better managing children’s weight. Then there’s proposed junk food taxes, menu labeling, new school lunch guidelines and vending bans too. 
 
But the reality is: weight is simply not a major “Mom concern.” In fact, overweight /obesity for their own children ranked 21st among mothers’ concerns—behind environmental allergies, alertness, asthma, lack of exercise and ear problems, according to HealthFocus. Only 21% of moms are “extremely/very concerned” about overweight/obesity. Moreover, the number of moms “very satisfied” with the healthfulness of their child’s diet reached a new high—37% in 2010 vs. 25% in 2004, reports the “2010 Gallup Study of Children’s Eating Behaviors.” 
 
Calories are also not a top concern for moms. Gallup reports that almost as many moms (14%) made a “strong effort” to increase their child’s calorie intake as those who are trying to cut back (17%). The importance of “low calorie” when buying food for their kids fell from the 14th most important factor in 2004 to 17th (HealthFocus).
 
In addition, parents don’t like to think that their child is overweight, creating a lack of purchase motivation. Only 11% of moms admitted to HealthFocus that their child was overweight. 
 
Lastly, while two-thirds of households with kids practice some form of healthy eating strategy, calorie-conscious behaviors—with the exception of eating more low-fat dairy and cutting back on sugary foods—are not among their regular behaviors (FMI, “Shopping for Health Report”).
 
Market Potential
 
According to Sloan Trend’s TrendSense Model, childhood obesity reached “Mega Market” status in 2010. For comparison, protein, high blood pressure and stroke are also “Mega” TrendSense markets. Moreover, with Medical Counts tripling during the past decade, the marketability of products aimed at childhood obesity shows no sign of slowing down.
 
However, this market is not one in the same with calories and kids. According to TrendSense, up to this point calories have played a minor role in this explosive segment. At the present time, the market for calories/children is a trendy, fad-like Level 1 Mass Market opportunity, being seemingly inflated by media, health professional and political attention to the childhood obesity issue during the past few years, rather than by truly concerned parents. At this point, calories/children has just begun to cross over the Medical Threshold, which signals a long-term sustainable trend. Medical Counts are also extremely low and are unable to support a strong market opportunity for calories/kids at this time.