HOW THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED
In September 2002, 3,000 households were selected from the panel of NFO Research, Inc. — the largest consumer panel operator in the world, with a pool of over 600,000 pre-recruited households across the U.S. available for marketing research studies. The targeted households were selected according to the following quotas:
| 1. |
Health Club Members |
1,000 |
| 2. |
General Population Sample |
|
|
Age |
18–24 |
|
400 |
|
|
|
25–34 |
|
500 |
|
|
|
35–44 |
|
400 |
|
|
|
45–54 |
|
300 |
|
|
|
55–64 |
|
200 |
|
|
|
65+ |
|
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
3,000 |
Health club members were drawn from a huge database of sports and fitness participants identified in the annual SUPERSTUDY® sports participation survey of 25,000 households by American Sports data, Inc.
The general population sample was skewed toward younger respondents who were more likely to be active sports and fitness participants, and also to compensate for lower return rates among these more youthful segments. With the exception of age, the mailout to non-health club members reflected the demographics and geography of the U.S. population. In the end, sample weighting procedures were employed to restore all groups to their true values in the population.
To ensure the soundness of the survey instrument and the requisite return rates, a pilot study of 300 individuals (150 from each of the two main groups) was conducted in September 2002. The main study was fielded in October 2002, with one individual aged 18+ in each household targeted as the designated respondent. No cooperation incentives were offered, nor were follow-up reminder cards mailed to respondents. At the conclusion of the fieldwork, a total of 1,732 surveys had been received, for a return rate of 58%. 1,661 usable questionnaires were tabulated in the final sample, which was weighted according to the following balancing targets and projected to the U.S. adult population of 203,876,000.
|
U.S. POPULATION PARAMETERS VS. STUDY SAMPLE
|
MALE
|
2001
Census
%
|
ASD
Sample
%
|
Wt.
|
|
FEMALE
|
2001
Census
%
|
ASD
Sample
%
|
Wt.
|
|
|
18–24
|
6.6
|
4.0
|
1.65
|
|
18–24
|
6.6
|
6.6
|
1.00
|
|
| 25–34 |
9.1 |
9.4 |
.97 |
|
25–34 |
9.3 |
12.5 |
.74 |
|
| 35–44 |
10.9 |
9.1 |
1.20 |
|
35–44 |
11.1 |
11.1 |
1.00 |
|
| 45–54 |
9.1 |
8.0 |
1.14 |
|
45–54 |
9.5 |
10.8 |
.88 |
|
| 55+ |
12.4 |
14.5 |
.86 |
|
55+ |
15.4 |
14.0 |
1.10 |
|
| |
48.1 |
45.0 |
|
|
|
|
51.9 |
55.0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP |
HOUSEHOLD
INCOME
|
2001
Census
% |
ASD
Sample
% |
Wt.
|
|
|
|
Target*
% |
Sample
% |
Wt.
|
| <$25,000 |
22.3 |
20.3 |
1.10 |
|
Member |
14.8 |
36.6 |
.40 |
| $25-49,999 |
27.1 |
24.0 |
1.13 |
|
Non-Member |
85.2 |
63.4 |
1.34 |
| $50-74,999 |
21.0 |
25.0 |
.84 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
| $75,000+ |
29.6 |
30.7 |
.96 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
|
|
MAIL PANEL COMPOSITION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Target**
% |
Sample
% |
Wt.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Balanced Panel |
52.3 |
84.0 |
.62 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Reserve Pool |
47.7 |
16.0 |
2.98 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* Sample balancing targets for health club membership derived from 2001 SUPERSTUDY® of Sports Participation
** Composition of Respondent Base in 1998 Study
|
