American Consumers Are Focused On

Americans have never been so proactive about their own health, sending sales of “do-it-yourself” health products – estimated to be a new $40 billion retail opportunity - to all time highs.

Last year, more than three-quarters (78 percent) of supermarket shoppers used fortified foods to “help maintain health.” One study revealed that:

• 74 percent used dietary supplements
• 55 percent avoided additives/preservatives
• 37 percent used organic foods
• 35 percent used herbal and supplements
• 20 percent used homeopathic remedies.1

In contrast to the above, 86 percent used over-the-counter medications and 68 percent used prescription drugs. At the same time, Americans’ obsession with nutrition has tempered from mania to moderation, with individuals comfortably settled into their own personal health routine, no matter how slight or serious. As a result, consumer health goals have refocused on the basics. Health maintenance/prevention is the new number one health goal, followed by weight reduction, more exercise, stress reduction and proper sleep.2

With 57 percent of Americans describing their health as very good, and 30 percent as good, the health maintenance segment will remain strong. However, it is the fast emerging high margin self-treatment trend that will offer food, supplement and “green” pharmaceutical marketers the most lucrative opportunities. The majority of Americans are now treating and diagnosing common conditions on their own and 96 percent feel confident - 56 percent very confident - in doing so. Three-quarters of adults prefer to self-treat, two-thirds plan to do more in the future and 94 percent have already done more than last year.3

Fifty million Americans used a supplement last year to treat or manage a condition. Menopause topped the list (35 percent), followed by cold/flu (22 percent), bone health (18 percent), immunity (16 percent). The specialty supplement category, where most treatment products fall, was up 10 percent in the mass market, while other supplements were flat and herbals were down 18.6 percent.4 Specialty supplements also led growth in the natural food channel, with joint/bone products, weight loss, natural antioxidants and stress topping the sales categories. Women’s health products ranked ninth and heart health nineteenth. Every year “Whole Foods” magazine surveys the nation’s leading health food retailers to determine their selections for the top 10 up-and-coming supplements. Soy isoflavones ranked tenth on this list.5

Consumers are also making food purchases with health concerns in mind. With 75 percent of supermarket shoppers trying to lower the risk of a condition through food purchases and 58 percent trying to manage or treat an existing condition,6 it’s not surprising that year-end 2001 statistics from the electronic “Nutrition Business Journal” put functional food sales at $17.4 billion, while fortified foods were up 58 percent over 1998.7 High cholesterol (53 percent), cancer (53 percent), high blood pressure, weight management (49 percent), diabetes (49 percent) and osteoporosis led the list of concerns shoppers wanted more products and information to address.8 In fact, consumers said they were very interested in trying food products that promised to do the following:

• 75 percent, reduce risk of coronary heart disease
• 72 percent, increase energy
• 71 percent, relieve arthritis
• 69 percent, improve cognitive function.9

At the same time, America’s health concerns are shifting. Eyesight, heart disease, cancer, cholesterol and high blood pressure now top Americans’ list of health concerns. 10 Other newcomers to the top 12 list include concern for colon cancer and unprecedented attention to stress and its relation to blood pressure. Since 1998, consumer concern over energy/fatigue, mental function/ depression and triglycerides has decreased.11 Conversely, concern for heart disease, high blood pressure, digestion problems, skin and menstrual issues has increased.12

The desire to self-treat will escalate as more Americans become afflicted with serious health conditions. Between now and 2010, menopause (22.1 percent) tops the list of health problems with expected above average growth followed by prostate cancer (19.8 percent), heart disease (19.6 percent), diabetes (19.4 percent), arthritis (19.0 percent), cholesterol (19.7 percent) and cancer (18.2 percent).13 In 2002, 42 percent of U.S. households are trying to manage or treat cholesterol, 15 percent menopause, 18 percent heart disease and 10 percent prostate cancer.14

Lastly, one thing is clear. Whether trying to treat a diagnosed existing condition, trying to reduce the risk of developing a problem on their own or acting on the advice of a physician and/or dietetics professional, consumers should prefer natural foods and ingredients over fortified foods, and both of these over supplements.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A. Elizabeth Sloan is the president of Sloan Trends & Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm that offers modern food, pharmaceutical and dietary supplement marketers trend-tracking, predictions, and strategic counsel. She is also the Consumer and Product Trends columnist and a Contributing Editor to “Food Technology” magazine and the North American columnist for “Functional Foods” magazine.

REFERENCES
1) FMI/Prevention, 2001. The Food Marketing Institute/Prevention Magazine’s Shopping for Health 2001: reaching out to the whole health consumer. Washington, D.C. mcampbell@fmi.org.
2) Roper/CHPA, 2001. Self care in the new millennium: American attitudes toward maintaining health and treatment. Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Washington, D. C.
3) Ibid.
4) Information Resources Inc., 2001. Vitamin, mineral, herbal, and nonherbal supplement category sales by outlets, 52 weeks ending 8/19/01 (include Wal-Mart), Chicago, IL.
5) Richman, A. and Witkowski, J., 2001. 9th annual dietary supplement survey. Whole Foods’ June, p. 21-28.
6) Ibid.
7) Nutrition Business Journal, 2001a. Functional foods report, 2001. San Diego, CA. www.nutritionbusiness.com.
8) Ibid.
9) Multisponsor Surveys, Inc. 2001b. The 2001 study of consumer awareness of and interest in PUFA/omega-3. Princeton, NJ. multisponsor@snip.net.
10) Sloan Trends & Solutions, Inc. 2001. U.S. consumer health concerns and potential for omega-3 products, Escondido, CA. sloantrend@attglobal.net.
11) Ibid.
12) Ibid.
13) Multisponsor Surveys, Inc. 2000. The 2000 Gallup focus report on the market for nutritional supplements among adults 50 and older. Princeton, NJ.
14) Natural Marketing Institute, 2002. The NMI Health & Wellness Trends Report. Harleysville, PA. info@nmisolutions.com.