The August 2012 Sports Supplements report explores what motivates people to take sports supplements, and discovers usage levels, purchasing habits and consumer attitudes towards taking supplements. It also identifies factors driving the market and profiles the market leaders (retailers and brands).

This report covers supplements that are in some way marketed/designed to help users achieve one of two specific goals:

  • weight/muscle gain
  • fat/weight loss

Where these products differ from weight loss products is that they are designed to complement an exercise/weight training regime.

For this report, YouGov SixthSense commissioned a survey among YouGov's online panel, drawing on a nationally representative sample of 4,217 UK adults aged 16+.

Over two dozen questions were asked in total, covering the following topics:

  • Self-assessment of own weight
  • Self-assessment of own level of health
  • Activities with regard to health and fitness
  • Propensity to exercise
  • Specific fitness goals
  • Participation in various sporting activities
  • Gym membership, including brand of gym
  • Activities undertaken to lose weight
  • Propensity to diet to lose weight
  • Attitudes towards dieting in general
  • Activities undertaken to increase muscle mass/bulk up
  • Propensity to have taken sports supplements
  • Likelihood of taking supplements in the future
  • Preferred format of sports supplements
  • Types of sports supplements used
  • Specific goals in mind when taking sports supplements
  • Brands of sports supplements used
  • Amount of sports supplements purchased at once
  • Influencing factors when choosing sports supplements brands
  • Outlet where sports supplements are purchased
  • Effectiveness of sports supplements taken
  • Sports/exercise undertaken when taking sports supplements
  • Longest period during which sports supplements were taken
  • Reasons for not taking sports supplements
  • Purchasing of anabolic steroids and/or prescription strength weight-loss products via the Internet
  • Attitudes towards sports supplements.

Download the Table of Contents.