How the Diet Industry is Changing

DIETING has always been big business and as our focus on our health has come sharply into view over the past year, so the food and diet industry has responded.

Dieting for the sake of just losing weight has fallen away quite sharply over the past few years, a combination of an increasing understanding of overall health and increasing information provided to consumers tanks to changes in FDA labeling rules.

Indeed, the traditional big players in the weight loss industry have seen shrinking market shares, especially those that have been based on group support sessions that have had to suspend in-person meetings.

While magazines may continue to promote the latest fad diet, overall, the food and diet industry is moving towards a much more holistic look at our relationship with food and our wider health. While weight is clearly an important fact in a healthy lifestyle, it is not the only consideration – if you keep a lower weight by an unhealthy diet you may be causing longer terms problems.

The FDA has been part of the change as new clearer labeling rules introduced in the past couple of years have caused food manufacturers to look at the formulations of many of our most popular brands and products.

Much greater emphasis is now put on the sugar contents of our foods, which breakthroughs in nutrition science have highlighted as a key factor in growing chronic health problems across the country.

Linked to this are stronger emphases on highlighting the role of high-calorie consumption and large serving sizes in poor health.

These changes in food labeling have caused many firms to look at their ingredients list and make changes to recipes – which is not as easy as it sounds when the overall final taste and texture must remain highly similar for the consumer.

At the same time, the diet industry has morphed into the wellness industry as consumers have become much more conscious over their food choices, focusing on a wider definition of wellbeing that encompasses weight but is not just about a lower number on the bathroom scales.

Consumers are turning to dietary supplements in greater numbers to ensure their bodies are topped up with the right levels of vitamins and nutrients they may not be getting from just-food. Again, in today’s marketplace, the FDA has an increasing voice in what can be formulated and sold – and particularly the claims that can be made for them. As we know more about nutrition, health, biology, and pharmacy there is simply less room for snake oil salesmen and the industry must respond.

There is also a greater interest in traditional herbs as helpful in a healthy lifestyle, with claims of boosting the human immune system, with rises in sales of ginger, turmeric, and many others. Again, the dietary supplement industry is going to have to be incredibly careful about making claims that cannot be supported scientifically.

Mental health is becoming much less stigmatized and much more understood – and foods that include antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are thought to help people have better mental wellbeing, though again the FDA is going to insist on more rigorous evidence before these can be claimed.

Couple these factors with a growing interest in the backstory of where our food comes from, supporting local producers and more wholesome core ingredients, and the diet industry is going to continue to evolve into the wider wellness industry.