Norwalk, Conn., Jan.  13, 2009 - The second annual HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey, commissioned by HealthSaver, a national emerging health care discount service, found that the most caffeinated city in the country is Tampa, followed by Seattle, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

The least caffeinated cities are Riverside/San Bernardino, followed closely by Atlanta, San Diego, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Dallas.  The survey considered numerous caffeine sources, including coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, pain relievers and caffeine pills.
Considering caffeinated coffee consumption alone, it was no surprise that Seattle ranked No. 1 nationwide for the second consecutive year.

The HealthSaver 2008 Caffeinated Cities Survey, released today, was conducted to determine the caffeine consumption habits and attitudes of consumers across the U.S., and to learn more about cultural views and health benefits of this morning pick-me-up, afternoon alert booster and late-night indulgence.

“With the advent of rich, high-end coffees, soaring popularity of energy drinks and national fascination with green tea, our HealthSaver Caffeinated Cities Survey has brewed up some very interesting trends, findings and results,” said Brad Eggleston, vice president of HealthSaver. “This groundbreaking research is an important tool to help educate about the health benefits of moderate caffeine consumption in the United States.”

The health benefits of caffeine are plentiful and well-documented in numerous studies in recent years.  Coffee and tea, in particular, have emerged as good health food sources that can lower the risk of diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, and cirrhosis of the liver, as well as lift your mood, treat headaches and even lower risk of cavities.  Caffeine also enhances athleticism, endurance and performance, according to health care experts.

“Even though at one time coffee was considered harmful to your health, at this point there is no compelling research to indicate that, in fact, is true.” said Dr. Peter R. Martin, Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology and the Director of the Institute of Coffee Studies, Vanderbilt School of Medicine. “Newer studies actually prove coffee in moderation is good for one’s health.”

Here’s the buzz on the most and least wired cities:

Most Caffeinated Cities 2008 1.  Tampa 2.  Seattle 3.  Chicago 4.  New York 5.  Los Angeles

2007 1.  Chicago 2.  Tampa 3.  Miami 4.  Phoenix 5.  Atlanta

Least Caffeinated Cities 2008 1.  Riverside/San Bernardino 2.  Atlanta 3.  San Diego 4.  Minneapolis/St. Paul 5.  Dallas

2007 1.  San Francisco 2.  Philadelphia 3.  New York 4.  Detroit 5.  Baltimore

Other cities surveyed in 2008 include Baltimore, Miami, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

For the second year in a row, Seattle ranked No. 1 in coffee consumption, with 55 percent of residents surveyed saying this elixir of alertness would be the most difficult caffeine product to give up. 
Nearly one-half (49 percent) of all respondents nationwide said they drink caffeinated coffee every day, while cola and tea tied with a 20 percent daily consumption rate.  Sweets containing chocolate ranked fourth among caffeine products, with a 13 percent daily consumption, the survey found.

Consumers tipped their coffee cups on a variety of caffeine-related trends:

• For the second straight year, nearly one-half of all respondents (42 percent) said coffee/specialty drinks would be the hardest to give up.
• Men are much more likely than women (47 percent vs. 39 percent) to say coffee would be the hardest to give up, similar to the first annual survey.
• Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of all respondents said they are not addicted to caffeine.
• Among age groups, the older the consumer, the more likely they are to say coffee would be the most difficult caffeinated product to give up, a pattern similar to that found last year.

Other key findings of the study:

• Women are more likely than men to say they are addicted to caffeine (29 percent of women vs. 24 percent of men).
• A majority (64 percent) said they consume about the same amount of caffeine as they did a year ago.
• More than one-fourth (28 percent) consume less caffeine now than they did a year ago.
• The younger the age group, the more likely they are to say they consume more caffeine than a year ago.
• Among respondents consuming less caffeine, 53 percent said it is because they are seeking to improve their health; and nearly one-fourth (24 percent) of those consuming less caffeine are doing so because of a change of diet/currently on a diet plan.
More than one-fourth said they consume more caffeine than a year ago because their everyday routine is more demanding.  Another six percent said it was because they have more access to caffeine, and 2 percent said they consume more because of fatigue due to sleep problems.
• Over one-half of respondents said they are way over their ideal weight (12 percent) or over their ideal weight (54 percent).  Only four percent said they were under their ideal weight.

HealthSaver, an emerging health care discount program, offers savings on prescriptions, vision care, complementary and alternative health care treatments, vitamins and supplements by mail and more than 1,500 fitness clubs nationwide, including select Bally Total Fitness, World Gym and Ladies Workout Express locations.

Survey Methodology
Prince Market Research, an independent marketing research company, was commissioned to conduct a nationally representative telephone study with consumers in 20 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. to learn more about their use of caffeine in everyday beverages and food.  All telephone calls were conducted between July 1 and Aug. 21, 2008, during which period, a total of 2,005 interviews, lasting between of five and seven minutes, were completed.  No incentive was offered and the sponsor of the research was not revealed.  The margin of error is +/- 2 percent.

About HealthSaver
HealthSaver offers discounts of 20 percent on vision care, as well as discounts of 10 to 50 percent on prescriptions at participating pharmacies, 20 percent off complementary and alternative health care treatments and fitness club benefits.  HealthSaver also offers discounts of 10 to 35 percent on dental care services at some 42,000 participating provider locations nationwide, including routine cleanings, X-rays, fillings, orthodontics, and even popular cosmetic dentistry procedures such as teeth whitening. Members can also save from 5 to 50 percent off vitamins and supplements by mail.  Discounts are based upon reasonable and customary costs or manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) and are only available from participating providers.  HealthSaver is not an insurance product or service.  More information about HealthSaver is available online at http://www.healthsaver.com or toll free by calling 1-800-7HEALTH (1-800-743-2584).  HealthSaver is offered by Affinion Group, a leader in the membership, insurance and loyalty marketing businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans.

About Affinion Group
As a global leader with almost 40 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing loyalty solutions. Leveraging its expertise in customer engagement, product development and targeted marketing, Affinion provides programs in subscription-based lifestyle services, personal protection, insurance and other areas to help generate increased customer loyalty and significant incremental revenue for more than 5,550 marketing partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Stamford, Conn., the company has approximately 4,250 employees and markets in 17 countries globally. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.

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