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Diet Trends - US - October 2015

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Definition
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The issues
Traditional diet product use is declining; adults turning to well-rounded diet
Figure 1: Agreement that well-rounded diet is better than diet products, by current diet status, July 2015
Dieters restricting calories for weight loss; limit use of diet products
Figure 2: Methods and tools currently used for dieting, July 2015
Older adults are less inclined to seek out diet information
Figure 3: Select current sources of diet information, by age, July 2015
The opportunities
Wholesome and high-protein weight management products proving successful
Figure 4: Claims that signify diet appropriate, July 2015
Consumers seek long term solution diet programs
Figure 5: Diet plan requirements, any rank, July 2015
Hispanic consumers are focused on dieting; have modest weight-loss goals
Figure 6: Current diet status, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
What it means
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
High obesity rates indicate need for help with weight loss
Focus on wholesome nutrition has implications for diet market
Exercising for weight management could prevent dieting
MARKET FACTORS
High obesity rates indicate solid need for weight management assistance
Most adults believe it’s better to eat well than use diet products
Figure 7: Agreement that well-rounded diet is better than diet products, current diet status, July 2015
Exercise is highly regarded as a means to a healthy weight
Figure 8: Agreement that exercise is more important than dieting, current diet status, July 2015
KEY PLAYERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Nutritional brands succeed with high-protein and wholesome offerings
Traditional diet products continue to struggle
Weight-control products target ailments and customized convenience
The future of smart technology will motivate and guide weight loss
WHAT’S WORKING?
Supplement beverages focused on high protein experience growth
Figure 9: MULO sales of leading powder/liquids nutritional supplement brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
Figure 10: SlimFast – It's Your Thing! – :15 TV Commercial, May 8, 2015
Natural and wholesome frozen meal brands experiencing growth
Figure 11: Behavior toward food and beverage ingredient claims, May 2015
Figure 12: MULO sales of select natural frozen meal brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
Bars experience growth, chiefly wholesome and high-protein offerings
Figure 13: MULO sales of select brands of nutritional health bars, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
WHAT’S STRUGGLING?
Weight-loss tablet sales continue to struggle
Figure 14: MULO sales of weight-control tablets, by leading companies, rolling 52-weeks 2014 and 2015
Sales of “diet” frozen meals decline; emphasizing fresh to rebound
Figure 15: MULO sales of select traditional frozen meal brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
Figure 16: Attitudes toward frozen meals, Spring 2010-15
WHAT’S NEXT?
Diet products targeting specific health ailments in addition to weight loss
Club subscriptions and home delivery keep healthy foods on hand
The Internet of Things will motivate and guide weight management goals
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
About half of adults are currently dieting
Current dieters have lofty weight-loss goals
Adults agree eating a well-rounded diet is better than diet products
Friends and family are top sources for diet information
Half of adult dieters are restricting calories to manage their weight
Diet plans need to build long-term habits at a good value
Foods with free-from claims signify diet appropriateness
CURRENT DIETING STATUS
About half of adults are actively managing their weight by dieting
Figure 17: Current diet status, July 2015
Women are more likely than men to diet to lose weight
Figure 18: Current diet status, by gender and age, July 2015
BMI influences consumers’ dieting behavior
Figure 19: Current diet status, by BMI, July 2015
The majority of Hispanic adults are managing their weight through diet
Figure 20: Current diet status, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
BODY WEIGHT GOALS
Adults currently dieting to lose weight have lofty goals
Figure 21: Body weight goals, July 2015
Weight-loss goals increase with BMI levels
Figure 22: Body weight goals, by BMI, July 2015
Size of city adults reside in impacts their weight-loss goals
Figure 23: Body weight goals, by area, July 2015
Non-White adults have larger weight-loss goals
Figure 24: Body weight goals, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
ATTITUDES TOWARD DIETING
Adults agree eating a well-rounded diet is better than diet products
Figure 25: Attitudes toward diets, July 2015
Figure 26: Agreement it’s better to eat well-rounded diet than use diet products, July 2015
Dieting is worth the effort to achieve ideal weight
Figure 27: Agreement achieving ideal weight is worth the dieting effort, by weight-loss goals, July 2015
Temptations and discipline are barriers to successful dieting
Figure 28: Agreement with dieting barriers and temptations, by gender and BMI, July 2015
Concerns, importance of exercise overshadow diet products
Figure 29: Agreement with dieting concerns and importance of exercise, by age and gender, July 2015
Time and costs are stronger barriers for Hispanic adults
Figure 30: Agreement with planning, expenses and conflicting diet information, by Hispanic origin, July 2015
SOURCES OF DIET INFORMATION
Friends and family are top sources for diet information
Figure 31: Sources of diet information, July 2015
Figure 32: Correspondence analysis of sources of diet information, July 2015
Older adults are less likely to be seeking diet information
Figure 33: Select current sources of diet information, by age, July 2015
Healthy weight adults seek more diet information than obese adults
Figure 34: Select current sources of diet information, by BMI, July 2015
Hispanic adults are currently seeking out diet information
Figure 35: Select current sources of diet information, by Hispanic origin, July 2015
DIET TYPES AND TOOLS USED
Half of adult dieters are restricting calories to manage their weight
Figure 36: Methods and tools currently used for dieting, July 2015
Nutrition-based and high-protein diets are appealing
Figure 37: Usage of nutrition-based diets, meal replacement products, and high-protein diets, July 2015
Figure 38: Currently doing or interested in trying select diets or products, by age and gender, July 2015
Diet communities and diet pills are least appealing
Figure 39: Usage of diet communities, non-prescription diet pills, and group competition, July 2015
Black dieters are engaging less in diet plans and tools
Figure 40: Select methods and tools currently used for dieting, by race, July 2015
DIET PLAN REQUIREMENTS
Dieters seek diet plans to build long-term habits
Figure 41: Diet plan requirements, any rank, July 2015
Diet plan program requirements vary based on weight-loss goals
Figure 42: Diet plan requirements, any rank, by body weight goals, July 2015
Race and Hispanic origin has minimal impact on diet plan requirements
Figure 43: Diet plan requirements, any rank, by Hispanic origin and race, July 2015
DIET APPROPRIATE CLAIMS
Foods with free-from claims signify diet appropriateness
Figure 44: Claims that signify diet appropriate, July 2015
More than one third of dieters acknowledge diet endorsement claims
Figure 45: Endorsement signifies diet appropriateness, by gender and age, July 2015
Diet appropriateness of some claims vary by ethnicity and race
Figure 46: Endorsement signifies diet appropriateness, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Sales data
Consumer survey data
Consumer qualitative research
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
APPENDIX – KEY PLAYERS
Figure 47: Attitudes toward frozen meals, Spring 2010-15
APPENDIX – THE CONSUMER
Figure 48: Weight Watchers use among women, by age, October 2014-June 2015
Correspondence analysis methodology

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