Two NMI Trends for 2011: Healthy Aging is Getting Younger and It's a Complicated Life.

Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) is pleased to present two of its health and wellness trends for 2011. NMI's trends are the result of various NMI research sources including the Health & Wellness Trends Database ® (HWTD), the LOHAS Consumer Trends Database ® (LCTD), and Healthy Aging/Boomer Database ® (HAB) as well as analysis of current activities in the marketplace. NMI databases, now include 12 years of data across 500,000+ consumers in 23 countries, provide comprehensive information and a global perspective across more than 150 product categories.

Healthy Aging is Getting Younger

The concept of "Healthy Aging", once exclusive to Boomers and Matures contemplating their Golden Years, has now been embraced across the entire demographic spectrum. From Botox treatments for women in their 20s to the growth in anti-aging products and services, agelessness has become a cultural preoccupation.

And many health issues that were once the domain of older people, such as obesity and diabetes, have reached epidemic proportions among young people and children. In addition, Generations X and Y have the highest stress levels of any age cohort and are suffering a variety of health consequences as a result. This suggests that while agelessness may be the cultural ideal, the reality is that the need for healthy aging is getting younger.

The desire to prolong health and vitality is high across all generations – not just Boomers and Matures as many would believe. In fact, Gen X is significantly more likely to indicate that looking younger is important to them, providing marketers of appearance-linked products including personal care and food/beverage with a viable consumer target.

Other findings include:

• Gen Y and Gen X are significantly more likely to be managing high stress levels compared to older generations.
• All generations want food and beverage labels that would show all the ways they would benefit their health.
• Gen Y are more likely to state that they prefer to get all their daily nutritional requirements in the foods they eat, rather than supplements.
• Gen X are looking for foods/beverages that boost energy, burn belly fat, and provide stress relief while Boomers and Matures are more concerned with heart health, joint pain and lowering cholesterol.

It's a Complicated Life

The complexity of today's life brought on by information overload, message bombardment, too many choices and conflicting media messages is flying in the face of consumers' desire to remove the layers and get at the "core"…the core value, core nutrition, core components of what constitutes a meaningful life.

It's no longer about having it all – it's about having the right things. It's about demanding more transparency and a clearer view of how a product or service truly fits with our value system and our definition of ourselves even as we continually redefine ourselves.

Pure, natural and simple will be the growing mantra of an ever-evolving and increasingly savvy consumer. Their desire for "natural nutrition" is growing with 38% indicating that natural foods/beverages are extremely important in how they maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Other findings include:

• 64% of consumers feel that foods today are less safe to eat due to the amount of chemicals used in the growing and manufacturing process.
• 63% of consumers prefer foods that are minimally processed.
• Consumers are getting back to basics and preparing more meals at home.