SECAUCUS, N.J.—Heart health, including cholesterol lowering, is one of the key health concerns driving consumers toward healthy eating patterns. Arwen Kimmell, The Hartman Group, spoke at SupplySide East about trends in healthy eating, including the impact of managing health conditions and life stages, as well as perceptions of what “healthy” really entails.
Interestingly, households managing many different health conditions are less likely to view healthy eating as important; however, those who see healthy eating as important tend to believe diet can improve or maintain good health. Consumers who are following healthy eating patterns do so not only with an “avoidance” strategy (focus on absence of negatives) but also a “seeking” one, in which they actively look for enhanced benefits in food and what the food does for you. Kimmell noted top ingredients on the radars of healthy eaters are probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids and plant stanols/sterols.