Go Boomer or Bust

Baby Boomers continue to be a formidable target in the nutrition world, one most companies cannot affordto ignore.

By Gregory Stephens, RD

Baby Boomers represent one of the most influential generations in American history, and as older Boomers approach their mid-60s, this influence is not going to decelerate. It’s the first time in American history that such a large demographic group, consisting of about 76 million consumers, is approaching their “aging years.” Boomers will be setting benchmarks as far as what they expect and what they will push companies to do to meet their needs. Today, Boomers are totally “recalibrating”—searching for balance in their life, from their nutritional needs to balancing work and social life.

A growing interest among Boomers is their desire to be in control of everything within their scope of influence, whether its personal finance or personal relationships. One area of remarkable growth is their willingness to take control of their health, as nearly two in three Boomers (65%, up from 56% last year) agree they will take whatever means necessary to control their own health. In addition, more than eight in 10 Boomers feel they can manage many of their health issues or medical conditions through nutrition.

As Boomers begin to make lifestyle changes in order to take realistic and tangible steps rather than sporadic and short-lived initiatives, food nutrition and Boomer behavior are areas dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers and marketers need to diligently monitor.

Shift in Nutrition Expectations

There has been a shift in what Boomers expect from their nutritional intake. Boomer foods of yesteryear were about convenience, and having new technologies to create meals, such as high-end convection ovens, combination microwaves and sophisticated food processors. Today they want functional convenience.

More and more food and beverage product introductions are addressing specific health conditions, such as chocolate milk for heart health, popcorn for cholesterol control and probiotic fortified yogurt and other foods for digestive and immune health. In addition, mainstream Boomers are showing interest in adding specific antioxidants, omega 3s, superfruits and probiotics to their diet, while avoiding foods and beverages that contain high cholesterol, trans-fats, saturated fats and sodium. This demonstrates that Boomers are high monitors, giving way to opportunities for both targeted enrichment or fortification with functionality—going well beyond limiting negative nutrients.

Boomers these days are trying to eat healthier. In fact, three-fourths indicate they have both avoided and also added specific foods in their diet to eat healthier. While Boomers are looking to eat healthier, as with other age groups behavior often lags behind attitude. For instance, a quarter of all Boomers feel it is important for their store to carry foods enriched with probiotics, but only 8% say they have actually used probiotic enriched products.

Are product offerings diverse enough or is it that consumers need more education on the benefits of these emerging ingredients? In other words, perhaps they don’t understand probiotics, but a product name such as GoodBelly may help the uninformed consumer connect to the ingredient/product with a benefit…without having to locate and read a health or structure/function claim on the package.

With this said, Boomers indicate that they do look for claims on foods and beverages. In fact, nearly three in five feel it is important for their store to carry foods that have specific health claims, significantly higher than Gen Y or Gen X consumers. Research suggests that Boomers understand that they may need, for instance, probiotics and omega 3s but they are not sure why—i.e., what are the benefits. Products have to be clear about what benefits they provide. Therefore, ingredient suppliers, marketers or trade associations must take the responsibility of consumer education where practical to help convey the health benefit.

Figure 1 shows the top health conditions Boomers are managing, led by weight and heart health, with more than half indicating they are currently managing or treating one or both of these issues. Products addressing these top health concerns will be one way to engage this generation. Another area of concern among Boomers is their desire to address cognitive health—three in five indicate a top fear they are experiencing is losing their mental/brain capacity. In addition to these conditions, intuitive product developers and marketers should also focus on combinations of related health issues meaningful to Boomers such as the “stress, sleep, concentration” continuum.

Boomer Males & Financial/Nutritional Health

Boomer men of today are exhibiting behavior that previous generations of men rarely did. For instance, they are interested in disease prevention, weight management and maintaining their relevance and vitality. As a result they are becoming more interested in nutritional interventions. Men are typically not as compliant with annual health exams and may benefit even more so from inclusion of functional food and supplementation options to help manage certain health conditions. In addition, Boomer men are increasingly becoming decision makers regarding food products, both for themselves and their family. Possibly building on this ongoing trend, with the current economy more men may be at home or more women may be moving into the workforce, putting more healthcare and food decision making on the male.

There is a strong connection between nutritional and financial health. Three-quarters of Boomers fear a major illness could destroy their financial security (significantly more than even Matures, i.e., consumers born before 1946).

Significantly fewer “condition managers” (i.e., consumers currently managing or treating a specific health condition) feel they are on target with their financial plan for retirement. This suggests a two-fold problem: Not only will Boomers have to spend their own money to manage certain health conditions, but they will also need to rely on their healthcare plan if they have one, which contributes to increasing healthcare costs.

Furthermore, the current economic situation appears to be having an effect on nutritional behaviors. Boomers indicate they are currently buying less health food (32%) and shopping less at natural/health food stores (23%). Positioning is prime right now. Consumers feel they will have to use less healthy products due to the economy, so products have to position their value through other added health benefits or perhaps having fewer “negative” ingredients, such as trans-fats or sugar.

Adventurous Nutrition

Finally, four in five Boomers state they would be interested in trying new approaches to managing their health, and more than half (51%, up from 45% last year) agree they are always searching for new self-care methods to prolong their health and vitality, suggesting a sustainable business proposition. Consider the role of the Internet as a unique way to attract Boomers, as more than half routinely goes online to search for information about leading a healthier lifestyle. This behavior is significantly higher among Boomers than Matures, who might better relate to John McCain’s campaign admission that he doesn’t know how to use a computer…but is aware of the Internet.

As Boomers embrace the notion that nutrition can “repair” many of the negative effects of aging, marketers can engage this generation by better understanding their attitudes and other psychographics. Although opportunities abound in functional convenience, marketers should keep in mind that consumer awareness of the benefits afforded by many functional ingredients is lacking. Also, let us not forget that though Boomers are willing to make dietary concessions for health, wellness and appearance, not unlike other generations, taste still rules.

As more Boomers approach retirement and become more educated about the health and wellness benefits of proper nutrition, opportunities across the functional food, dietary supplement and cosmeceutical industries will grow and be sustainable for the foreseeable future.

Editor’s Note: Data in this article come from the Natural Marketing Institute’s 2009 Healthy Aging Boomer Trends Database and 2008 Health and Wellness Trends Database.