Nutrition21 Forecasts the Future of Healthy Aging

Three-quarters (76%) of consumers surveyed said healthy aging will be more relevant to them in 2030, according to proprietary research conducted by Nutrition21, LLC, an Everwell Health company.

Nutrition21’s study, which sought to understand current needs and motivations toward healthy aging across different generations, also uncovered gaps in the market. Notably, consumers voiced dissatisfaction with currently available supplements and healthy aging products.

Based on data insights, Nutrition21 forecasted a view of what healthy aging consumers will look like, and what will be most important to them in 2030, in a new white paper titled “The Future of Aging Well.”

The two-part study of 2,800 consumers provides insight on current health areas people are focused on, an assessment of their future priorities, and utilizes feedback on unmet needs to offer future-focused approaches to achieve market success.

“There is growing conversation around the demand for healthy aging — from consumers, brands, and industry suppliers,” said Jordan Miller, vice president, marketing, Nutrition21. “As an industry leader, our goal with this research was to arm ourselves and our partners with a unique perspective spanning beyond just consumer desire today. As consumers — especially those in younger generations — age, their unique needs and desires related to healthy aging are likely to reshape the supplement market. By dissecting current aspirations and gaps in the market, we were able to pinpoint where we think the greatest opportunities will be to meet consumer needs in the coming years.”  

“The global population is rapidly aging, and today’s consumers aren’t just focused on lifespan, but proactively looking at health span,” said Miller. “Our research revealed consumers expect their healthy aging habits to add 8 years to their life, so their goals are focused around increasing the number of years one can expect to live in relatively good health, while motivations and health concerns evolve as consumers age.”

Key takeaways from the study include:

• Motivations for focusing on healthy aging differ by generation, with younger consumers like Gen Z and Millennials seeking to maintain long-term health, physical activities, and appearance, while older generations look to preserve quality of life and maintain independence.
• Spending on healthy aging support is on the rise; about half of respondents surveyed have made a purchase (product or service) to support healthy aging. Gen X is significantly more likely to invest, with 61% noting purchases.
• Dietary supplement usage is also rising, with all generations surveyed planning to use more supplements in the next 5 years. While sales are rising, consumers committed to dietary supplement use express dissatisfaction with current solutions, with more than one-third stating the products didn’t help as much as they expected across several health areas.
• Nutrition21 identified several health areas that will be most critical for the healthy aging consumer in the next five years, including mobility, mood/stress, and energy.

“We’re seeing that consumers of all ages have an interest in healthy aging — but often with differing current needs and future expectations. Our portfolio of one-of-a-kind science-backed brands offers winning solutions to meet these healthy aging needs today and in coming years,” said Miller.