It is widely known that the global population is aging, and with this comes not only increased medical costs due to physical ailments, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and joint and bone problems, but also a soaring rate of mental health conditions. Good nutrition can help slow down this detrimental process, while some nutrients may even be able to stave off seriously debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. This begs the question why are mature adults, with their particular brain health concerns, including dementia, depression and loss of cognitive agility, so poorly catered for at this point in time?
 
Omega 3s & Berries: Perfect Together?
 
Omega-3—both docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—is somewhat viewed as a wonder supplement. It has the ability to help reduce the onset of CVD and improve a child’s memory. It is also increasingly being given to mental health patients with the purpose of improving brain health. For example, a recent study found that increased DHA consumption improved brain volume enough to make a person’s brain appear two years younger than that of somebody with lower DHA consumption.
 
Yet most products containing omega 3s are still aimed at children, somewhat constraining the growth of this category. Euromonitor International’s health and wellness data show that, at present, 90% of brain health and memory-positioned products are accounted for by dairy products. One such typical product is Saputo Inc’s Neilson Dairy Oh!, which advertises that its cows are fed a diet high in DHA omega 3 fatty acids and that DHA supports the normal physical development of the brain, eyes and nerves in children under two years of age. The brand saw sales of $143 million in 2010, up from $93 million in 2005.
 
Older people do consume dairy products but not to the same extent as children. Other products that have witnessed the addition of omega 3 and offer further potential to target the ageing population include juices, coffee and oils and fats.
 
Berries, which contain anthocyanidins, a type of flavonoid linked to a reduction in stress and inflammation, have been hailed as another anti-aging ingredient. Data from the well-known Nurses’ Health Study, which looked at the diets of 16,000 women, found that those who ate berries at least once a week slowed their cognitive decline by 1.5-2.5 years. Fruits such as strawberries and blueberries are high in anthocyanidins and are popular flavors in dairy-based products. Surely these would provide an easy and healthy opportunity to target those older consumers?
 
Western Europe Offers Significant Potential
 
The Global Ageing Index—the percentage of people aged 64 and over per children aged 0-14—increased from 28% in 2006 to 31% in 2011, with Japan topping the list. In accordance with this, the increase in value of brain health and memory-positioned food and drink products is expected to grow from $1.05 billion in 2010 to $1.13 billion in 2015.
 
However, this increase could be considerably higher if manufacturers take full advantage of the benefits of functional ingredients and introduce products targeted at this age group. Other countries with a high index of aging, such as Monaco, Germany and Italy, could be targeted as their populations, which are likely to have healthy diets, would be willing to incorporate products to enhance their mental capacity.
 
Although food and beverage products are not drugs and cannot be marketed as treating brain and cognitive disorders, the convergence of these trends is nonetheless creating considerable opportunities for food and beverage companies.


About this blogger: Diana Cowland is a Health & Wellness Analyst at Euromonitor International. She can be reached at [email protected]