Ingredient distributor PLT Health Solutions (Morristown, NJ) released new consumer research titled Feeling Active about how cognitive states—or mood—can affect sports and active nutrition.

In 2024, PLT engaged with a third-party consumer research firm to conduct a study on consumer attitudes toward mood and active nutrition. The study featured 546 participants from the United States, Germany, France, United Kingdom and Italy.

According to the company, the research covered responses to exercise activity and attitudes about exercise including motivation, mood, goals and the impact of injuries. It also asked about attitudes toward dietary supplements and thoughts on supplements providing cognitive support for a sports and active nutrition context.

Some of the findings of the study include:

• 62 percent see exercise as “self-care” and 18 percent see it as a hobby.
• The highest perceived barriers to regular exercise were inadequate energy or sleep (42 percent), lack of motivation (40 percent), time constraints (38 percent) and stress (31 percent).
• The main motivation for exercise is to be healthy and fit (59 percent), looking good (21 percent) and feeling healthy and looking good are equally important (21 percent).
• 69 percent would focus on actions to improve mood and mental resilience when injured.
• 94 percent found the idea of a dietary supplement promoting a healthier mind-body relationship appealing.

“Today’s sports/active formulation is more complex and sophisticated than ever, with consumers looking for a broader range of benefits. Increasingly, they are looking to branded, science-backed ingredients to power those formulations. We hope that Feeling Active can help sports and active nutrition consumer products companies innovate faster and more successfully,” said Steve Fink, vice president, marketing at PLT.

For more information and to read the full report, visit www.plthealth.com.