With the spotlight on men's health issues this month, Centrepoint reflected upon the health consciousness or lack thereof of its male consumers within the GCC region. As the region's largest family fashion retailer, Centrepoint feels a responsibility towards its customers and puts each member of the family at the centre of its offerings. This November, Centrepoint has launched a campaign to increase consumer's knowledge of health related topics.

In support of the Movember initiative activated globally, Centrepoint chose to delve deeper on its regional consumers' understanding of good health. The regionally present retailer conducted a recent survey to gauge consumers' consciousness of their personal and general health in comparison to their savviness when it came to fashion. As a family fashion retailer, Centrepoint is well-aligned with its trend-setting and highly engaged consumer base in the Middle East. The survey that was disseminated through Centrepoint's social media platforms garnered response from over a thousand respondents from the GCC, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. The results portrayed a distinct disparity in respondents' behaviour and knowledge when it came to fashion vs. health. Of the men surveyed, 80% answered each of the fashion related questions correctly, while a mere 20 per cent were able to answer questions on basic health measures.

Following the survey results, Centrepoint has launched a region-wide campaign to raise awareness for effective health habits and measures. "Responses to survey questions such as 'How often do you shop?' and 'How often do you see your physician for a medical check-up?' were extremely insightful in getting an understanding of our customers' priorities when it came to personal health," commented Shyam Sunder, Marketing Head of Centrepoint. Over 90 per cent of survey respondents claim to visit the mall and shop once a month or more, with close to 25 per cent shopping on a weekly basis. In terms of health, while 70 per cent of the men surveyed visited the gym once a week or more. In contrast, over 50% of survey respondents visited the doctor only in case of a medical emergency. This speaks clearly about the way in which consumers here prioritize health issues.

Sleep, which is a vital indicator of overall health and well-being, also appeared to be compromised as per survey results. 40 per cent of survey respondents get only between 5-7 hours of sleep per night. According to the National Sleep Foundation those of us experiencing under the mandatory 8 hours or so of sleep on a regular basis experience elongated sleep debt and forget the feeling of being well and truly rested. To further the problem, stimulants like coffee and energy drinks, alarm clocks, cell phones and other external lights and sounds interfere with our natural sleep cycle causing added distress.

Another aspect of health consciousness highlighted by the survey was that of water consumption. A third of the respondents surveyed consume between four to six glasses of water a day, which is quite low in comparison to the eight glasses recommended for adults. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, which can be particularly severe in the hot desert conditions we face in the middle East.

Overall the survey questioned respondents on their knowledge on both fashion and health related matters and found that the region's consumers are far more savvy when it comes to fashion consciousness with over 30 per cent of respondents updating their wardrobe every month and providing clear and specific answers on questions related to fashion brands. On the other hand, questions related to health were met with more hesitation and inaccuracy.

Centrepoint has collaborated with prominent regional influencers to spread the word on health awareness and do its part in helping families across the region stay healthy and fit. As part of the campaign, the brand has launched a special video on social media to showcase the lack of health awareness in the region. Through the month of November, Centrepoint will be sharing health questions and tips on its digital platforms through the month using #GetToKnowMo to drive curiosity and engagement on health related topics.