Insights
Leveraging Protein to Support Weight Management
Learn about the opportunity to help consumers manage their weight through high protein products.
24 Nov 2021
3 min
Covid-19 has significantly impacted people all around the globe and led to drastic changes in our daily lives.
One example of this is reduced physical activity, which has resulted in weight related concerns among consumers. Because of this, health-conscious consumers are becoming more aware of the foods and beverages they consume in order to better manage their weight.
Research conducted by Euromonitor displays growing concern around weight management for consumers.
Consumer concerns over their weight has been on the rise since 2019, with the pandemic playing a significant role.
Below: Percentage of consumers extremely and moderately concerned about obesity/weight management.1
Along with this, global public health recommendations consistently emphasise the importance of people achieving a healthy body weight. Making consumers even more aware of the importance of weight management.
As a result, weight gain has prompted a need for consumers to improve their health.
Below: percentage of consumers who wanted to improve their health after gaining weight.2
United States
China
Saudi Arabia
Japan
South Korea
Mexico
With the internal and external influences to improve health outcomes, consumers are making dietary changes to manage their weight, with a key ingredient being protein.
Proteins provide a proven method to support weight management through stimulating satiety. By promoting satiety with protein, people will feel fuller and are thought to be less likely to over-consume food.
Muscle maintainence can also be an issue when dieting, where lean mass may be lost at the same time as fat. Protein has been shown to help protect and even increase muscle mass during weight loss periods.
Satiating- fuller for longer
Supports muscle mass
Greater thermic effect
Positive impacts on blood glucose
Another key benefit of protein is its higher thermic effect, meaning a high protein diet can increase daily energy expenditure and fat loss.
To add to this, protein has been shown to provide a nutritional proposition to improve blood glucose, through its positive impact on weight management, supporting muscle mass and impacts insulin release which positively impacts blood glucose.
Overall, health-conscious consumers are becoming increasingly mindful of foods and beverages that can help them better manage their weight. Many are turning to high protein foods as part of a healthy diet for weight management. While this is the case, choices are limited when it comes to product types and formats.
Products being developed that have a protein + slimming claim combination are largely limited to nutritional drinks and snacks. Brands can offer consumers more options by developing a wider variety of products that uses protein to support weight loss and management.
References
- [1] Euromonitor: Health and Nutrition Survey 2019 and 2021.
- [2] FMCG GURUS: Active Nutrition Survey 2021.
- [3] FMCG GURUS: Active Nutrition survey 2019.
- [4] Source: Mintel GNPD.
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited and its group members involved in the manufacture or sale of NZMP branded products (‘Fonterra’) has provided this ‘NZMP Fast Facts’ for informational purposes only. It does not constitute recommendations or advice for the purposes of making financial decisions regarding trading in dairy products or commodities, or dealing in financial instruments relating to dairy commodities. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of reproducing and interpreting such information, no warranty or representation of such is made and Fonterra shall have no liability in respect of any reliance placed on such information in the formulation of any business decision.
