No Slim Pickings

The Nielsen Company in January last year reported that 50% of the world’s population is struggling with overweight issues. Factors that have contributed to the fi gure include a wide variety of appealing, inexpensive, energy-dense food that are often served in large portions; fewer jobs that require physical labor; and an increasing preference for sedentary activities such as watching television programs and playing video games. People would also rather drive than walk, and take the lift than the stairs, leading to the consumption of more energy than the body expends.

As a result, there is much consumer interest in weight management products. Consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about health and nutrition, as they embrace a proactive, balanced approach to weight control involving incremental and consistent lifestyle changes.

Maintaining sound nutritional balance is important for one who is on a diet. This prevents the deprivation of certain nutrients and possible side effects such as malnutrition in the body. Diet products and meal replacements fortified with key vitamins and minerals would therefore command a greater consumer appeal and occupy premium positions in the market. Multivitamin and mineral mixes that help bridge the nutrient gap and promote suffi cient intakes of essential micronutrients required to meet one’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of nutrients would also be in demand.

Nutritionally-integrated weight management products can help consumers lose weight and maintain their health. An independent study published in Nutrition Journal in 2007 found that there was a lower prevalence of nutrient inadequacy among women who consumed fortifi ed meal replacements over 12 months compared to a traditional diet group. Nutritional premixes can therefore help manufacturers create a complete micronutrient package for those who are dieting.

Market interest in satiety or appetite satisfaction has been growing rapidly. Satiety-enhancing ingredients help the body’s natural hunger management by sending ‘appetite satisfi ed’ signals to the brain, which may help to delay and overcome food cravings. DSM Nutritional Products’ Fabuless for example helps one to manage his/ her calorie intake and reduce weight regain after dieting by controlling his/her appetite. In the most recent mechanistic study, Fabuless was shown to prolong food passage time from mouth to the large intestine by 45 minutes – a statistically significant increase that demonstrates its potential to stimulate natural appetite control mechanisms.

Customized approach

A number of vitamins, minerals and functional ingredients are found to have the added benefi t of supporting weight management. Often called the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is produced by the skin under strong sunlight; supports bone health and it may also aid weight management. Low serum vitamin D concentrations are also often found in obese populations, according to studies published by Clinical Endocrinology (2009), The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2009) and Bone (2008).

According to the American Journal of Physiology in 2009, vitamin D was found to regulate the metabolism and development of fat cells in the body. Low levels of vitamin D may even send signals to the body that winter has arrived, indicating to the body to slow its metabolism and store fat, reports a study at Medical Hypotheses in the same year. On the other hand, epidemiological studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2003 indicated that calcium intake is associated with a reduction in fat mass, possibly through its effects on metabolic rate and the generation of fat cells. Studies in Obesity Reviews in 2009 showed that calcium supplementation increases fat excretion, as a study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that calcium’s subtle effects may support long-term weight management. These ingredients offer manufacturers an easy way to create everyday products, with the added value of enhancing satiety, contributing to metabolism and combating vitamin defi ciency. As functional ingredients often work in synergy with consumers’ dieting efforts, customized blends that facilitate weight loss and replenish the levels of key nutrients can be created, thereby boosting consumers’ health and vitality.

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