• Nine in 10 adults (90%) say that the paint color in a room affects the mood of their household; 45% believe that a fresh coat of paint can provide the greatest rejuvenation to a room. [Home/Housing] (Masterchem; phone: 800-325-3552)
• Nearly a third of Americans (30%) have gone on 20 or more diets in their lives, trying an average of five different dieting strategies. [Health/Treatment/Wellness] (Nutrisystem; phone: 215-706-5392)
• Three quarters of adults (75%) expect to rely on Social Security for at least a portion of their retirement income, and 50% are willing to pay more in payroll taxes to ensure the program will continue. [Finance] (AARP; phone: 202-434-2560)
• Nearly all workplace safety officials (98%) have witnessed workers not wearing required protective gear while on the job, with workers most commonly saying the reason for their non-compliance is that the gear is uncomfortable (40%). [Workforce/Employment] (Kimberly-Clark; phone: 770-587-8048)
• More than three quarters of Americans would rearrange plans — such as a wedding, first day on the job, or moving into a new home — to avoid having it fall on Friday the 13th. [Human Behavior] (Discovery Communications; phone: 240-662-5161)
• The vast majority of parents (86%) say it is a struggle to get their children to take care of their teeth. [Health/Treatment/Wellness, Youth] (Trident/Kraft Foods; phone: 847-646-4583)
• Women bloggers are “unplugged” for an average of four waking hours a day; the most common reason they go offline is to spend time with family (78%). [Women, Online] (Liberty Mutual’s Responsibility Project; phone: 617-357-9500)
• Chicagoans (55%) are more likely than Americans overall (51%) to skip taking a summer vacation in 2010. [Travel/Tourism] (Citi; phone: 212-559-0486)
• More than a third of Americans (36%) visited a fast food restaurant in order to purchase only a beverage in 2010, up from 24% in 2008. [Food/Beverages] (Technomic; phone: 312-506-3848)
• More than half of online Americans (54%) have occasionally used a mobile device to act upon an email they received while using their desktop PC. [Online, Marketing] (e-Dialog; phone: 888-256-7687)
• The greatest barrier to Americans always doing all they can to protect their personal information online is lack of knowledge (28%), followed by cost (12%), and lack of time (5%). [Online] (National Cyber Security Alliance; phone: 202-570-7431)
• Nearly six in 10 those in the midst of a home improvement project (59%) considered using “green” technologies; only 19% are motivated to use eco-friendly options to take advantage of tax credits. [Home/Housing, Environment] (ServiceMagic; phone: 303-963-8173)
• Six in 10 college students (60%) use their PCs more than their TVs for entertainment. [Entertainment, Computers/Electronics] (Dolby Laboratories; phone 415-645-5838)
• One in 10 Americans in the market to buy a new vehicle attended a motorsports race in 2009, and 63% of those pre-planned their visits to include vehicle brand displays at the track. [Automotive; Leisure] (Foresight Research; phone: 248-608-1870)
• Eight in 10 parents (80%) are not worried about childhood obesity affecting their own children, though 66% are worried about the epidemic on a national scale. [Family, Health/Treatment/Wellness] (Synovate; phone: 312-526-4359)
• Nearly four in 10 online shoppers (39%) have used PayPal to make a purchase in 2010, surpassing the use of debit cards (37%); credit cards remain the most popular form of payment, with 70% using them for online purchases. [Online, Retail/Service Sector] (Auriemma Consulting Group; phone: 212-323-7000)
• Restaurant diners’ most common strategies for healthy eating out include choosing low fat options (67%), eating more fruits and vegetables (52%), and ordering less food to reduce their calorie intake (49%). [Food/Beverages, Health/Treatment/Wellness] (Mintel; phone: 312-628-7946)
• The Internet and community go hand-in-hand: 22% of online Americans have signed up to receive digital alerts about local issues — such as traffic, weather, and school events — 20% use digital tools to keep in touch with their neighbors, and 11% read a blog that addresses community concerns. [Online] (Pew Internet & American Life Project; phone: 202-419-4500)
• Some 43% of Americans would move to a different community if it offered a better quality of life than their current location. [Home/Housing] (Ipsos; phone: 612-205-4733)
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