CHICAGO — “Healthspan” isn’t a new idea, but it’s being approached in new ways as consumers become more engaged in extending their lifespans and being as healthy and active as possible for as long as possible.

“I would define it as the idea that people are trying to live better longer,” said Scott Dicker, senior director of market insights for Chicago-based SPINS, a provider of wellness-focused data and insights for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. “It’s different from longevity. Everyone is trying to die young, just as late as possible.”

This trend impacts the CPG industry through the foods, beverages and supplements consumers purchase, he added.  Examples include more protein-dense foods, products with added functional ingredients such as mushrooms and ashwagandha and beverages advertised for their stress-management attributes.

Consumers are interested in cellular health and products that preserve muscle mass, maintain healthy bones and help them stay active, according to SPINS. Brain health is another area of focus, so products targeted at staying mentally sharp also are drawing attention.

“Surprisingly, younger people are into this as well,” Dicker said, adding that hormonal health, women’s health and products aimed at perimenopause, menopause and testosterone levels are being purchased more often.

Current trends reach beyond those products, however, and Dicker said non-alcohol beverage brands and so-called “relaxation beverages” or “euphorics” are other options consumers are looking at to bolster well-being and potentially enhance their healthspan.

Specialized diets, whether they take the form of intermittent fasting, plant-based or keto, are additional influences at work, he said. There is also the “Ozempic effect” in which consumers taking weight-loss drugs are impacting CPG companies’ bottom lines.

“Last fall, Walmart said they were seeing consumers were buying less calories,” Dicker said. “It’s going to have a big impact on business, and it’s being studied for longevity as well. You could make the link that if you treat your diabetes and lose weight, it could increase your healthspan.”

Some brands are developing entire product lines to align with the trend, he said. Nestle, for example, introduced its frozen Vital Pursuit line this past spring to respond to consumers taking GLP-1 drugs for type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Nestle’s Vital Pursuit frozen brand is designed to appeal to consumers using GLP-1 weight loss medication and those focused on weight management.
Source: Nestle

The message for CPG companies is to take notice of the shift in consumer thinking and buying habits and understand the factors supporting it, Dicker said.

“It doesn’t mean there’s no spot for indulgent products,” he said. “Not everything is going to be a mushroom-based ashwagandha product. Just understand more consumers are going to be top of mind about these products, and that this idea of healthspan is occupying more of consumers’ minds (as they are) purchasing products going forward.”

Besides food and beverages, technology is another focal point for the increasing number of healthspan-focused consumers, Dicker said. More people are using wearable technology to track sleep patterns and heart rate, and they can make changes in their food and beverage consumption and other habits in real time and see the impact of the changes.

“This is not just a doctor saying to avoid sugar before bed and see if it works,” he said. “Now you can actually track it and measure it with real data.”

SPINS is working on a healthspan report and plans to publish it at the end of September or sometime in October, Dicker said. The report will be available for download on the company’s website.