My name is Camille Binachon, biotechnologies engineer, market data analyst and product manager for the metabolic health portfolio, a complex and fascinating area where probiotics continue to surprise us! What I realized in the past years is consumers’ growing awareness of the biomechanisms
that keep their bodies running smoothly. As such, health and wellness have taken on a permanent, full-time role in the lives of global consumers. And it’s not just my point of view; according to Google Trends, health and wellness is no longer a seasonal trend, peaking in January and tapering off as the year unfolds. It’s a yearlong, lifelong goal.
The “body positivity” movement is back in the spotlight
To explain the metabolic health actual market trends, I can’t help but think about the “body positivity” movement. While it originated in the 1960s, body positivity is back in the spotlight, ignited by social media opinion leaders. Embracing body positivity leads to appreciating the functionality of the human body instead of its physical appearance. It focuses on the acceptance and inclusion of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender and physical ability. Psychological research has shown it is associated with improved, long-lasting, self-care behaviors. This movement resonates strongly nowadays with consumers. In 2021, over 80% of consumers stated that maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health – outweighing the 19.6% of consumers who still think the number one reason to keep a healthy weight is a matter of physical appearance. Between 2019 and 2021, there was an increasing number of consumers stating they wanted to lose weight, but it’s interesting to note that among people dieting, 63.3% of them did so to improve their long-term health. As long-term health is also referred to as metabolic health, it’s an important theme to explore.
Ongoing studies on metabolic, cholesterol and cardiovascular health
Metabolic health encompasses different organs such as the liver, intestinal tract, the body’s fat stores, muscles, heart and brain tissue. It’s defined by the proper functioning of these organs, ensuring both quality of life and longevity. Scientific evidence also indicates a strong link between metabolic health and the gut microbiota. Probiotic supplements have their role to play in supporting consumers in reaching their metabolic health goals. In the future, probiotics will be studied to see what benefits they can bring to other aspects of metabolic health, such as cholesterol and cardiovascular health.