MAM
Huge opportunity in weight-management industry: TNS study
MUMBAI: Asian women differ in their perception of being overweight but there is a huge potential in the weight-management industry. These are the primary findings of a study by TNS, one of the world’s leading market information groups, providing market measurement, analysis, insight and advice in more than 110 countries.
The findings of a study on obesity in Asian women conducted by the healthcare arm of global market information company TNS indicate that women in China and Hong Kong think they are heavier than they actually are; women in Malaysia and Indonesia are heavier than they think.
The survey, which was conducted amongst women between the ages of 15 and 64 in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia, sought to determine Asian women’s perception of their actual weight versus their ideal weight.
TNS Healthcare Asia Pacific regional director Stephen Potts was quoted as saying: “Asia clearly presents huge opportunities to companies involved in weight management. Only if these companies truly understand the mindset of the customer in each country and tailor their marketing approach to the needs of each market will they be able to capitalise on these opportunities.”
A press release issued by TNS says that almost half (44 per cent) of the women interviewed in China and Hong Kong felt that they were overweight. However, based on a calculation of their Body Mass Index (BMI), only a quarter were overweight or obese according to the World Health Organisation’s Asian guidelines, which meant a BMI of 23 kg/m2 or more. Furthermore, a fifth of the respondents were actually found to be underweight, highlighting a worrying trend in these countries for excessive weight loss.
The opposite was true in Indonesia and Malaysia, where whilst only 25 percent of women interviewed thought they were overweight, BMI calculations indicated that over a third actually were. TNS believes that education is required in these countries to inform women of the weight that they should attain and the risks associated with excess weight.
Although Chinese and Hong Kong women were often dissatisfied with their weight, only about one in 10 had done something about it. However, a quarter claimed that they would try to lose weight within the next six months. In contrast, Malaysian and Indonesian women were more satisfied with their weight, but about one in five of those who were unhappy with their weight tended to take steps to lose weight.
The TNS note also states that the main methods used to lose weight were reducing calorific intake, snacking less and exercising more. Hong Kong (74 per cent) and Chinese (79 per cent) women were most likely to exercise and this represents a huge opportunity for gyms and fitness centres in these countries. Women in Indonesia seemed less keen on exercise (21 per cent). Slimming teas (33 per cent) and OTC weight-loss pills (26 per cent) are big business in China, as are international weight-loss programs (15 per cent).
Interestingly, says the TNS study, for the pharmaceutical industry, one in 10 Hong Kong women and one in eight Chinese women intended to consult their doctor about weight loss within the next six months. The study also points out that the Slim 10 scandal in Asia has clearly hit confidence in OTC weight-loss pills. If the manufacturers of prescription anti-obesity drugs could tap into this consumer trend; and further convince consumers that prescription anti-obesity drugs are safe, they may enjoy some success in these countries.
Overall, the research among women in the four countries showed that China and Hong Kong present very different opportunities for manufacturers of anti-obesity products than Malaysia and Indonesia. Although Chinese and Hong Kong women were less likely to be overweight or obese, they were more likely to believe that they were.
In these countries, companies offering weight-loss services and products must be particularly careful to promote their anti-obesity products ethically and not encourage excessive weight loss. Interestingly, other research by TNS Healthcare revealed that doctors across the world, including China and Indonesia, believe that currently available prescription anti-obesity preparations are relatively ineffective. The challenge for the industry is to develop products that are more effective – and remain effective in the long term.
In contrast to Hong Kong and China, obesity levels in Indonesia and Malaysia were high and work needs to be done to educate and motivate overweight women to lose weight for health reasons.
Brands
Zscaler, Airtel launch India AI Cyber Research Centre
New hub to boost cyber resilience and trusted AI use
NEW DELHI: As India’s digital engine roars ahead, so do the risks riding shotgun. In response, Zscaler, Inc. and Bharti Airtel have joined hands to launch the AI and Cyber Threat Research Center – India, a national initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s cyber defences and accelerating responsible AI adoption.
The centre is designed as a multi stakeholder platform that brings together industry, government and academia. Its mission is clear: protect critical sectors such as telecom, banking and energy, shield everyday digital users, and future proof India’s fast expanding online ecosystem.
India has long been a major innovation hub for Zscaler, with a substantial portion of its cyber research talent based here. With this new centre, that footprint evolves into a national collaboration engine. The idea is simple but ambitious, build in India, for India, and help power the country’s journey towards a secure and digitally self reliant future.
The timing is telling. India is building digital systems at population scale, not just enterprise scale. That scale has widened the attack surface dramatically. At the same time, cyber criminals and nation state actors are deploying AI to scan, probe and exploit vulnerabilities in minutes.
Zscaler’s research arm, ThreatLabz India, reports millions of infiltration attempts every month. These include espionage campaigns linked to regional geopolitical tensions, 1.2 million intrusion attempts from 20,000 sources targeting 58 Indian digital entities, and a rise in zero day exploit attempts across multiple industries.
In such an environment, perimeter based security models are struggling to keep pace. The new centre aims to push a shift towards secure by design systems and Zero Trust architecture.
Its strategy rests on four pillars: protect through real time intelligence, remediate by working directly with government agencies, facilitate adoption of AI driven security and Zero Trust frameworks, and build a stronger cybersecurity talent pipeline through specialised certifications.
As founding members, Zscaler and Airtel will combine global threat intelligence with local network visibility. Zscaler will deploy a dedicated India focused research team and draw insights from its Zero Trust Exchange platform, which processes over 500 billion daily transactions worldwide. Airtel, meanwhile, will contribute deep visibility into IoT and mobile traffic, helping detect suspicious activity faster and coordinate response across the ecosystem.
Bharti Airtel executive vice chairman Gopal Vittal, said the partnership extends Airtel’s commitment to safeguarding customers and the nation’s digital fabric. He added that the collaboration would address challenges unique to the Indian market and encourage secure and confident digital engagement.
Zscaler chief executive, chairman and founder Jay Chaudhry, said India’s digital ambition cannot be secured with legacy firewalls and VPNs. He noted that a modern Zero Trust architecture is essential for a hyper connected world and that the new centre would harness the scale of Zscaler’s global security cloud while empowering a new generation of Indian cyber defenders.
Additional members from critical public and private sectors are expected to join the initiative in the coming months, expanding its scope and deepening collaboration.
In a world where threats travel at machine speed, India’s answer is to think faster, collaborate wider and build smarter.
