Americans Scrap “Healthy” Diet for Dietary Supplements
Published: Tuesday, December 01, 1998
PORT WASHINGTON, NY—In their continuing search for an easy health fix, Americans are giving up on low-fat, low-cholesterol foods and adding more supplements to their diets, according to a recent study on eating patterns in the U.S.
More than two-thirds of Americans now take dietary supplements for health reasons, according to the 13th annual “Eating Patterns in America” report, issued in October by the Port Washington, NY-based consumer marketing research firm NPD Group.
The report doesn’t break out how much money U.S. consumers spend on specific dietary supplements but estimates the total market at about $11.5 billion. Natural Business figures, which include retail and direct-market supplements sales, estimate the total market at about $12.5 billion.
NPD’s report found that 68% of Americans have taken supplements at some point and that 45% take dietary supplements daily. Only 31% never take vitamins or other supplements.
The most widely taken supplement is the traditional multivitamin, according to Harry Balzer, VP of NPD Group. Next are specific vitamins, such as C or E; third are mineral supplements; and fourth are herbal supplements. Balzer says that because his firm primarily tracks food consumption habits, NPD’s report did not more precisely break out the categories to include which vitamins, minerals and herbs consumers were buying.
The report confirms an emerging trend that finds Americans moving toward adding supplements to their daily diets in an attempt to avoid having to change how they eat.
Americans have abandoned eating low-fat foods, just as they have abandoned eating low-sodium and low-cholesterol foods, because they found themselves eating more and gaining more weight, Balzer says.
The emerging trend his research report shows, Balzer says, is one that features health-conscious Americans adding something, such as a dietary supplement, to their traditional diet, rather than eliminating foods from it.
This shift in American consumer behavior is reinforced, the report says, by its findings that Americans no longer see nutritional aids as products medical doctors need to recommend before they are consumed. In 1990, only 34% of those surveyed believed that it was appropriate to take vitamins or other supplements without first getting advice from their doctor. In 1998, in contrast, 47% said they would condone taking vitamins without consulting a physician, the report states.
Balzer says it may be too soon to tell whether the additions to Americans’ diets will come in the form of traditional pill-and-capsule dietary supplements or in newly emerging functional food-style supplements. But right now he’s betting on traditionally delivered supplements because of ease of use.
In truth, Balzer says, for the last 20 years “easy” food has been driving U.S. eating patterns. “Everything else has been a fad,” he says. “Americans are saying I want to eat all the foods I want, and I want someone else to make them.” Anything that feeds that need, such as the current home meal replacement trend and, clearly, dietary supplements, will probably be successful.
Balzer issues one caveat: “The question is, [are dietary supplements] going to cost consumers too much money? Americans want to be healthier, but they want it to be easy, and it would be nice if it also was inexpensive to get.”
“Eating Patterns in America” findings are based on information provided by more than 5,000 demographically representative individuals who complete food and beverage consumption journals for a two-week period. The 1998 report represents the first year that dietary supplements use has been tracked.
For more information on “Eating Patterns in America,” contact Harry Balzer, NPD Group, 847.692.1704 or e-mail harry_balzer@npd.com.