Nutiani spots an “incredible opportunity” for targeted healthy aging solutions

05 Jul 2024 --- In an expanding healthy aging market, Nutiani recommends nutrition brands develop targeted solutions to “accurately capture the diverse needs and preferences” of the varied consumer base, who aim to maintain holistic well-being throughout their lifespan, covering physical, mental and inner health. 

Nutrition Insight discusses the consumer landscape and implications for the nutrition industry with Charlotte Ortiz, global brand marketing manager at Nutiani. 

“The way consumers perceive and think about healthy aging has changed and will likely continue to evolve,” she underscores. “This shift in mindset cuts across all demographics, and brands must be ready to meet these needs to engage meaningfully with their current pool of older consumers and the seniors of tomorrow.” 

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution for capturing opportunities in the growing healthy aging space. With tailored methods and solutions, backed by science and rich market insights, brands can truly develop strategies to innovate and meet their consumers where they are on their nutrition journey.” 

Ortiz asserts there is an “incredible opportunity for healthy aging solutions” given the broad understanding of nutrition’s role and the strong consumer focus on healthy aging across younger and older consumers.

Consumer landscape 
Nutiani’s recently published report, “Proactive Nutrition for Healthy Aging,” draws from the company’s global consumer survey to inform nutrition brands. It reveals that 75% of consumers find healthy aging important, and 88% believe it is important to manage health proactively to prevent health issues in the future. 

“This sentiment is prevalent across all ages,” she adds. “The report also delves into the key factors that influence the purchasing decisions of different age and consumer groups.”

Nutrition is pivotal in enabling and supplementing consumer efforts to improve and maintain their health across their lifespan.Ortiz hopes that the company’s latest report motivates brands toward the opportunity in healthy aging by providing “a comprehensive and in-depth picture of the healthy aging landscape.” 

Moreover, the report aims to equip brands with the necessary consumer insights to develop relevant solutions for products and “long-lasting consumer relations that grant them long-term success.”

Role of nutrition 
Ortiz highlights that nutrition is pivotal in enabling and supplementing consumer efforts to improve and maintain their health, such as exercise, cultivating healthy lifestyle habits and building strong social bonds. 

“For example, while regular exercise can significantly improve mobility, nutrition plays a critical role in providing consumers with the necessary energy and bone or muscle health required to partake in this physical activity.”

She suggests that diets and fortified protein-rich solutions can support mobility, as protein’s essential amino acids support muscle synthesis and overall muscle function. 

“By clearly communicating the supportive role that nutrition can play in enabling an overall healthy lifestyle for consumers, brands can further educate and convert consumers to incorporate supplements and fortified solutions into their day-to-day well-being management routines.”

Targeting health priorities 
Nutiani’s report focuses on three primary dimensions of well-being in healthy aging — physical, mental and inner well-being. 

“Our consumer research shows that under the three key health aspects that support healthy aging, mobility, cognitive health, stress, digestion and immunity emerge as top concerns brands should account for in their innovation pipeline,” adds Ortiz. 

Supporting mobility, including bone, joint and muscle health, is key in healthy aging.She explains that mobility covers aspects such as bone, joint and muscle health, pointing to protein and dairy as “well-recognized ingredients.” She highlights the potential of dairy to support mobility, providing 13 essential nutrients, including protein, calcium and vitamins D and B. 

Regarding stress and mental well-being, she notes that phospholipids are clinically shown to manage the effects of stress. 

“Our latest study found a clear link between supplementation and stress response, with a 45% reduction in mean stress scores of those who had consumed the phospholipids. Phospholipids also come with various other benefits for mental well-being and cognition. By managing the effects of stress, Nutiani phospholipids help maintain performance by staying focused.”

Meanwhile, Ortiz asserts that probiotics are popular ingredients to boost inner well-being, such as gut health. 

For example, research reveals that Nutiani’s HN019 probiotic strain supports digestive health by reducing gut discomfort and improving constipation symptoms.

Meanwhile, the company’s HN001 strain can promote a healthy immune response by improving immune biomarkers associated with pathogen protection and can support reduced levels of pathogens. Through the gut-brain axis, gut health ingredients can also support mental well-being. 

She illustrates: “For example, Project Happy tested the Nutiani HN001 strain to determine if there were any significant improvements in mental wellness and happiness. After 60 days of consuming a probiotic formulation and rating their psychological well-being on the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, participants’ mean happiness score increased.”

Ortiz recommends brands to cater to both senior consumers and younger demographics seeking preventive solutions.Nuanced approach 
Nutrition brands should not target healthy aging consumers as a homogenous group, cautions Ortiz. Brands that want to stand out in the market should cater to both senior consumers and younger demographics seeking preventive solutions. 

“Even among senior consumers, factors like gender and lifestyle habits create significant differences in their current health status and preferences, which is critical to consider as brands develop and target consumers with their solutions.” 

She asserts that, although concerns such as “gut health, immunity and sleep quality are consistently prioritized across age groups, consumers over 45 are significantly less concerned by stress, weight management and skin health.”

“Developing tailored products that target the distinct health concerns experienced by each age demographic is critical to building meaningful portfolios for both groups,” she recommends.

In addition, brands should adopt a nuanced approach to deriving the formats, product attributes and communication channels used by the different demographics. 

Ortiz details: “Our report highlights that older consumers tend to be more price-conscious than their younger counterparts, which means they purchase less or smaller quantities of their preferred products. In response, brands can develop solutions in convenient formats with different packaging size options and communicate to older consumers through their preferred channels (e.g., traditional media or Facebook) to convey the value proposition of their solutions.”

“Conversely, younger generations tend to prefer innovative and convenient formats and are better reached through trendier platforms like Instagram or TikTok.” 

By Jolanda van Hal