Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Traditional diet product use is declining; adults turning to well-rounded diet
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- 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
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- Figure 2: Methods and tools currently used for dieting, July 2015
- Older adults are less inclined to seek out diet information
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- Figure 3: Select current sources of diet information, by age, July 2015
- The opportunities
- Wholesome and high-protein weight management products proving successful
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- Figure 4: Claims that signify diet appropriate, July 2015
- Consumers seek long term solution diet programs
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- Figure 5: Diet plan requirements, any rank, July 2015
- Hispanic consumers are focused on dieting; have modest weight-loss goals
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- Figure 6: Current diet status, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- 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
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- High obesity rates indicate solid need for weight management assistance
- Most adults believe it’s better to eat well than use diet products
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- 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
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- Figure 8: Agreement that exercise is more important than dieting, current diet status, July 2015
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- 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?
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- Supplement beverages focused on high protein experience growth
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- Figure 9: MULO sales of leading powder/liquids nutritional supplement brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 10: SlimFast – It's Your Thing! – :15 TV Commercial, May 8, 2015
- Natural and wholesome frozen meal brands experiencing growth
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- Figure 11: Behavior toward food and beverage ingredient claims, May 2015
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- 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
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- Figure 13: MULO sales of select brands of nutritional health bars, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Struggling?
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- Weight-loss tablet sales continue to struggle
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- 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
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- Figure 15: MULO sales of select traditional frozen meal brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 16: Attitudes toward frozen meals, Spring 2010-15
What’s Next?
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- 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
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- 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
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- About half of adults are actively managing their weight by dieting
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- Figure 17: Current diet status, July 2015
- Women are more likely than men to diet to lose weight
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- Figure 18: Current diet status, by gender and age, July 2015
- BMI influences consumers’ dieting behavior
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- Figure 19: Current diet status, by BMI, July 2015
- The majority of Hispanic adults are managing their weight through diet
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- Figure 20: Current diet status, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
Body Weight Goals
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- Adults currently dieting to lose weight have lofty goals
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- Figure 21: Body weight goals, July 2015
- Weight-loss goals increase with BMI levels
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- Figure 22: Body weight goals, by BMI, July 2015
- Size of city adults reside in impacts their weight-loss goals
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- Figure 23: Body weight goals, by area, July 2015
- Non-White adults have larger weight-loss goals
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- Figure 24: Body weight goals, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
Attitudes toward Dieting
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- Adults agree eating a well-rounded diet is better than diet products
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- Figure 25: Attitudes toward diets, July 2015
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- 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
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- 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
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- Figure 28: Agreement with dieting barriers and temptations, by gender and BMI, July 2015
- Concerns, importance of exercise overshadow diet products
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- 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
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- Figure 30: Agreement with planning, expenses and conflicting diet information, by Hispanic origin, July 2015
Sources of Diet Information
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- Friends and family are top sources for diet information
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- Figure 31: Sources of diet information, July 2015
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- Figure 32: Correspondence analysis of sources of diet information, July 2015
- Older adults are less likely to be seeking diet information
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- Figure 33: Select current sources of diet information, by age, July 2015
- Healthy weight adults seek more diet information than obese adults
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- Figure 34: Select current sources of diet information, by BMI, July 2015
- Hispanic adults are currently seeking out diet information
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- Figure 35: Select current sources of diet information, by Hispanic origin, July 2015
Diet Types and Tools Used
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- Half of adult dieters are restricting calories to manage their weight
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- Figure 36: Methods and tools currently used for dieting, July 2015
- Nutrition-based and high-protein diets are appealing
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- Figure 37: Usage of nutrition-based diets, meal replacement products, and high-protein diets, July 2015
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- 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
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- 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
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- Figure 40: Select methods and tools currently used for dieting, by race, July 2015
Diet Plan Requirements
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- Dieters seek diet plans to build long-term habits
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- Figure 41: Diet plan requirements, any rank, July 2015
- Diet plan program requirements vary based on weight-loss goals
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- Figure 42: Diet plan requirements, any rank, by body weight goals, July 2015
- Race and Hispanic origin has minimal impact on diet plan requirements
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- Figure 43: Diet plan requirements, any rank, by Hispanic origin and race, July 2015
Diet Appropriate Claims
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- Foods with free-from claims signify diet appropriateness
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- Figure 44: Claims that signify diet appropriate, July 2015
- More than one third of dieters acknowledge diet endorsement claims
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- Figure 45: Endorsement signifies diet appropriateness, by gender and age, July 2015
- Diet appropriateness of some claims vary by ethnicity and race
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- Figure 46: Endorsement signifies diet appropriateness, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 47: Attitudes toward frozen meals, Spring 2010-15
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 48: Weight Watchers use among women, by age, October 2014-June 2015
- Correspondence analysis methodology
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