07.26.2006
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Subscribe »Trend Watch: Nutrigenomics
Turning the Age-Old Adage "You Are What You Eat" on Its Head
By their very nature, all diets face a significant set of challenges. As we've discussed, eating is always a cultural activity, yet dieting stresses individualized eating patterns. Many will question the legitimacy of experts purporting to tell us how to eat when patterns are learned from family and culture. Most prefer to adopt diets by way of word of mouth rather than prescription. Assorted restrictions of diets prove challenging to all but the most isolated of individuals.
Very often when contemporary dieters do lose weight, they complain they "don't know what to do" because they now face a crossroads: "How will I eat again in public?"
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Given the recent history of dietary regimens, which purport to offer health benefits by eating a diet specified by one's biological profile, we see little evidence of mainstream success. For example, blood type diet appealed to a very small, select group of core wellness consumers who had the focused intensity to stick with its severe restrictions.
Severe diet restrictions cause significant challenges for those in charge of meal preparation, as each person may require different food products or preparation techniques. The challenges only become more numerous and magnified when consumers dine out or dine amid social occasions.
Now, once again in the laboratory, scientists think they have reached the breakthrough of all breakthroughs to finally crack the code of the links between genes, diet, disease prevention and individuality. They feel Nutrigenomics - the scientific study of how particular genes interact with different foods to increase susceptibility to disease - may just be the answer for the growing number of consumers who are connecting their health, mood and wellbeing to the specific foods they eat or consciously choose to avoid.
Currently, Nutrigenomics is an area that has absolutely no awareness or traction among consumers. In a recent Hartman Interactive poll, over 87% of consumers have never heard of the word "Nutrigenomics." (Source: Hartman Interactive, May 2006, of over 1,100 consumers on the subject of the role genetic testing and makeup can play in diet control and disease prevention.)
The challenges to Nutrigenomics: In and away from home
Despite years of supposed consumer interest (70% of consumers say they would create and follow a customized diet ) and marketing optimism, this marketplace has largely failed to materialize. After all, consumer behavior is often times very different than stated intent or desire. Here are some of the challenges Nutrigenomics faces:
- Industry trend and not consumer-driven market
- No cultural model for nutraceuticals: With the exception of the smoothie, there is no model in the existing culture of food which tells consumers it is okay to put "beneficial things" in their food
- Tendency to view eating and medicine as disconnected. American consumers prefer their food to be food and their medicine to be medicine.
While we are optimistic about Nutrigenomics chances to allow people to lead healthier lives, we must note the following trends in American food culture. At home:
- Parents are already growing tired of dealing with individual taste preferences from their young "picky eaters."
- Those in charge of meal preparation tend to only consistently recognize individual food requirements in the case of medically designated illnesses or conditions. It is very difficult to convince meal preparers of the need for separate foods for separate people unless one member of the household is "sick," (i.e., diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.) or that a particular ingredient could trigger illness or discomfort (i.e., serious food allergies).
When consumers dine out, they tend to avoid following the parameters of any specific diet. Meals consumed while dining out offer a break from the ascetic (policing, decreasing, avoidance) rigors of everyday household life. These are moments of indulgence, not moments of adherence to principles. When dining out, consumers seek the food traditions of a given culture and or place (e.g., pizza, Greek food) rather than the rules of science or their nutritionist.
Opportunities within Nutrigenomics?
Ever since the human genome was decoded, scientists have been exploring deeper to determine the impact of human genes on health, disease and society. Certainly, Nutrigenomics raises difficult questions for policymakers and individuals and will fuel ongoing debate surrounding obesity and weight management solutions. At present, what consumers are most likely to embrace Nutrigenomics?
While 84% of respondents agree with the statement, "It is possible to improve overall health and achieve genetic potential through nutrition" (source: Hartman Interactive, May 2006), we believe the greatest opportunities with Nutrigenomics may reside with Core Wellness Consumers. They are small in number but are very, very knowledgeable about specific features of wellness and nutrition. Their focus is on prevention vs. treatment and actively seek new information and experimental in their approach to health and wellness. They believe in the role of diet and nutrition (i.e., food) in healthier living (wellness) and are willing to spend the additional time and energy necessary to learning about and integrating personalized diets into their (and their family's) daily ways of living.
The immediate opportunity? Consumer packaged goods designed "away from home" eating occasions are most relevant as consumers believe it is more difficult to monitor and control their food and beverage intake outside of the home. Individual snacks, beverages and on-the-go-products, in particular, are key categories in which consumers are likely to experiment with new products and seek out healthier and customized alternatives. Finally, the ultimate success of Nutrigenomics will hinge on the critical dimensions of price, convenience, taste and simplicity.
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