How Health and Wellness is Redefining the Food Industry

Once marginalized to the realm of food cooperatives and health-food stores, wellness products are now standard in the grocery store aisle. But beyond what might be described as speciality merchandise, food, in general, is now viewed as fundamental to definitions of wellness. This evolution has been driven by an expanding sense of what it means to be healthy and what is considered to be therapeutic.

According to a research, over half (52%) of the adult population surveyed believe that good nutrition prevents most chronic diseases; 58% believe that good nutrition eliminates the need for most prescription drugs, and a full 70% believe that good nutrition delays the onset of chronic disease.

Food Choices Get Linked to Health

Food is fundamental to consumers’ definitions of health and wellness. Now more than ever, people are looking for health benefits in their food choices. As a result, they are redefining the value of food beyond simply taste, price, and convenience. Interest in health and wellness is driven not only by the ever-increasing disease burden in the population but also by the shift to consumers of responsibility for the prevention of disease and the costs of health care. As these dynamics continue to play out, the grocery store will become an important hub for health management.

Prevention of Health Problems

With so much emphasis placed on poor nutrition, excess calories and lack of physical activity as the underlying causes of many preventable diseases, the act of eating has taken on new meaning. The question of what to eat is essential, whether you are an overweight child at risk for diabetes or a baby boomer concerned with appearance and reducing the signs of ageing. Prevention of health problems remains a fundamental issue that will drive different ways of healthy eating.

The Connection Between Food and Health is Not Always Clear

Consumers want information that helps make the connection between food and health, but simply providing more information will not necessarily suffice. The proliferation of health information can actually be overwhelming for people who are trying to improve their health practices and competing for health claims and contradictory information about products, diets, and possible risks compound the problem. Consumers want health information connected to their own personal needs, delivered to them in a clear and manageable way.