Mobility has the potential to breathe new life into large but stagnant market sectors (e.g., joint and bone health), and aligns well with explosive interest in muscle/strength, sports nutrition, protein and pain-free everyday performance.

Maintaining the ability to continue with normal activities as they age is the top health issue Americans over age 40 are very/extremely concerned about, according to a 2013 HealthFocus report. Mobility/aging concerns rank fourth among those aged 18-29 and third for those 30-39. 

With 130 million Americans over age 50—and those 65+ projected to grow 17% from 2015 to 2020—enhanced mobility tied to aging will remain a highly desirable health solution. Two-thirds of the growth projected for nutritional supplements through 2020 will come from those aged 65+; more than three-quarters of those aged 65+ use supplements, according to Packaged Facts’ 2014 Nutritional Supplements in the U.S.

Mobility concerns are fast-moving, senior-specific conditions linked to loss of strength and frailty (e.g., sarcopenia—the age-related loss of lean body mass, strength and function—and dynapenia, the age-related loss of strength). Sarcopenia affects 45% of adults age 65+, and 45% of post-menopausal women, per the National Institute on Aging. 

However, when it comes to mobility, the younger market remains virtually untapped. Workers who have labor-intensive jobs, stand on their feet, or work in offices in front of computers are strong new targets.

One in five (21%) of those 18-44 experienced joint pain in the past 30 days; 26 million have frequent back pain. Two-thirds of arthritis sufferers are under age 65, according to the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (2011).

Six in 10 adults aged 20-39 and 75% aged 40-59 are overweight; 30% and 40%, respectively, are obese (JAMA, 2014).

Loss of muscle mass/tone begins in the 20s and 30s; so opportunities exist for new nutraceutical products positioned for muscle building, body sculpting, weight loss and sports performance/injury protection.

Moreover, with 47% of consumers reporting they exercise more often than two years ago, according to IFIC’s Food & Health Survey, the need for greater mobility and flexibility will continue to move center stage.

There are opportunities to migrate the conversation about mobility from negative to positive and energetic (e.g., from pain to pleasure: not giving up what you love to do as you age, and continuing to be who you are).

Market Potential
According to Sloan Trends’ TrendSense model, muscle is an extremely large and fast accelerating Mega Mass market, with no signs of slowing down. Moreover, it is supported by a robust scientific database, and is currently an extremely active research area generating a wide variety of new findings and messages. Strength is also a very strong Mega Mass market that began to pick up speed in 2011, likely as a reflection of growing interest in protein. It has also been a very large fast-accelerating market for nearly 10 years.

Back pain is an explosive Level 2 nutraceutical market and has continued to gain momentum throughout the last decade. Moreover, medical research on back pain is also being conducted at a torrid pace, with Medical Counts—already at a high level—doubling over the past decade.

It appears that the market/demand for joint pain products is becoming more specific and targeted to individual sites and types of pain (e.g., back pain). In contrast, general joint pain remains a strong and stable Level 1 Mass Market that is lackluster at the moment both in terms of its marketability and research activity—while solutions for specific types of joint pain fast accelerate. 
 
Muscle and aging is currently a strong and stable Level 1 Mass Market. Medical Counts are fast accelerating and have tripled in the past decade. New findings that are generated from this high level of research activity will likely fuel the marketability for muscle tied with aging.

Sarcopenia is just crossing into the Popularization Phase and is currently perfectly poised for marketing into the health food/specialty channel and among very health conscious and condition-specific consumers.

Growth Opportunities

• 62% of U.S. adults are very/extremely concerned about aging/mobility; 51% bone health/strength; 44% muscle health/tone; 44% joint health/pain; and 44% neck/back pain (HealthFocus, 2013).
• Half (48%) of laborers take supplements; 60% of administrative office workers; and 57% of computer/technical workers (Packaged Facts, 2014).  
• The number of Hispanics age 50+ will increase 63% from 2011 to 2021. Hispanics index high (130) for use of joint health supplements and suffer more severe joint pain; 28% of Hispanics have arthritis. One in five Hispanic men under age 35 take a sports supplement (2011 Gallup Study of Hispanic Nutrition and Supplement Use). 
• Back pain is the #1 cause of disability under age 45 (U.S. National Health Interview Survey, 2011)
• Bone health supplement sales reached $1.9 billion in 2013, up only 2.2%; joint health sales were $1.7 billion, up 0.8% (Nutrition Business Journal, October 2014).
• The sports nutrition sector is the fastest-growing health sector globally (Euromonitor, 2014).
• 1 in 20 working adults face work limitations from arthritis (CDC, Arthritis Surveillance 2012).
• 69% of those aged 65+ associate protein with helping to maintain healthy bones and joints; 63% to prevent muscle loss; 63% to stay active with age; 44% bone loss with aging; 28%, 44%, 44% and 29%, respectively, for those aged 18-34 (Dairy Management Inc., Consumer Protein Tracker Update 2012).
• In the U.S. 96 million people walk for exercise, 55% exercise with equipment, 39 million do aerobics, 36 million workout at a club and 36 million run or jog (NSPA, 2013). 
• With only 50% of exercisers including any resistance/strength training while active/exercising, the incidence of sarcopenia will likely be equally high in future generations (IFIC, 2014). 
• Globally, maintaining the ability to continue normal function as they age is the second most important health concern of consumers age 40-49; third for those age 50+ and fifth among those age 30-39 (HealthFocus, 2013).

Functional Foods & Beverages
Three in 10 consumers say it is extremely/very believable that foods/beverages would help maintain bone, joint and muscle function with age (HealthFocus, 2013). In 2011, building physical strength showed up for the first time as having an impact on food/beverage purchases; 36% said strength was very important to their food purchase decisions (FMI, Shopping for Health, 2012). Nearly one in five bought a food/beverage specifically formulated for bone health (9% joint health), according to Gallup.

Functional food manufacturers should capitalize on consumer awareness and scientific facts that associate protein with muscle strength and maintenance, and build in ingredients that support holistic mobility and joint health (e.g., calcium, magnesium, boron, glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, natural eggshell membrane, avocado and soybean unsaponifiables, lactoferrin). Embrace a new approach to joint health that includes muscle support with protein and other essential nutrients such as key amino acids, including branched chain amino acids with sufficient leucine to trigger muscle synthesis.

Dietary Supplements
Nearly one-third (31%) of supplement users are concerned about age-related muscle loss/loss of strength when getting older; one in 10 users experienced this condition in the past year, according to the 2012 Gallup Study of U.S. Market for Vitamins & Other Dietary Supplements.

Supplement marketers should develop combination products for the mobility market that include joint, bone and muscle health attributes. Utilize novel ingredients for greater effectiveness (e.g., natural eggshell membrane, avocado and soybean unsaponifiables, lactoferrin), in conjunction with ingredients that consumers have come to know and expect to be included in joint supplements (e.g., glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM). Consider formulas for specific functions (e.g., daytime support and nighttime recovery).

Consider forms (e.g., bi-layer tablets or capsules within capsules) that give the impression of multiple attributes. 

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Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan & Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt
Sloan Trends, Inc.

Dr. A. Elizabeth Sloan and Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt are president and chief scientific and regulatory officer, respectively, of Sloan Trends, Inc., Escondido, CA, a 20-year-old consulting firm that offers trend interpretation/predictions; identifies emerging high potential opportunities; and provides strategic counsel on issues and regulatory claims guidance for food/beverage, supplement and pharmaceutical marketers. For more information: E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.sloantrend.com.