Food vs. Supplements

Food vs. Supplements

Consumers around the world are more likely to address some
health conditions via foods, while preferring dietary
supplements for others, finds a new survey.

According to global research by Ipsos Marketing, food and beverages rival
supplements when it comes to digestion, energy, weight and blood sugar levels.
However, dietary supplements were by far the most popular option for
benefits linked to immunity, brain health and memory, bone and joint health,
cancer prevention, hormonal balance and eye health.

Established health links
The key differentiation, according to Ipsos, comes down to consumer
awareness of well-established health links, which is what prompts
them to go for foods or supplements.
The survey, which tracked responses from 21,623 adults in 23 countries,
also identified a mid-way category of health conditions, which people are
more likely to address with supplements.

Supplements
These are used for heart health, cancer prevention and immunity benefits,
increased brain power and memory, and bone and joint health which
most people would first turn to supplements for.

A wide range of countries participated in the survey: Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Korea,
Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Great Britain,
the United States and Turkey.

Consumer interest in health and wellness on the rise.

Consumers are continuing to increase spending on
products for health and wellness –

According to the report, Reimagining Health 2010 which
carried out an online survey to find out about US consumers’
attitudes toward health and wellness and triggers for
changing behaviours. It found that the average household
spends $148.48 a month – or 19 percent of all monthly spending –
on fortified foods, those that are lower in cholesterol,
saturated fat, trans fat, and salt and supplements.

The report found
“Aging and changing health are key triggers for older cohorts,
while energy and stress trigger awareness for younger cohorts,”

And the organization said that the first ‘significant’
realization of a need to participate in health and wellness
occurs between the ages of 40 and 50 with changes in appearance,
the onset of minor health complaints, having less energy, or weight gain.

“They are looking for products and services that help them
meet their wellness goals and aspirations. With virtually all consumers
involved in wellness on some level, this represents tremendous
opportunities for manufacturers and retailers.”