Mood-Enhancing and Heart Health Foods Emerging as Incidence of Heart Diseases Rises
LITTLE FALLS, NJ, January 15, 2009 – As today’s aging population spends increasing amounts on prevention rather than cures, the market for mood-enhancing foods will continue to experience healthy growth rates, according to the latest research from worldwide consulting and research firm Kline & Company.
While the functional foods industry has so far focused mainly on physical benefits and health claims, mood, emotional, and cognitive health claims are emerging to form an important new market segment, according to Kline’s FlashPoint report titled Mood-Enhancing Foods and Beverages: The “Fun” in Functional Foods.
Where functional foods and beverages are broadly defined as fortified and enhanced products that offer additional health benefits beyond nutrition, “mood foods” are products that claim to uplift mood, boost mental health, or improve cognitive functions by stimulating brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters.
Kline’s FlashPoint report focuses specifically on opportunities and challenges in the mood foods market segment, while another report due to be published later this year, titled Global Functional Foods and Beverages 2009: Heart Health Market Analysis and Opportunities, examines the broader market in terms of heart health.
“Increased consumer demand, the rising incidence of heart disease, a need for cost-effective treatment options, and aging populations worldwide are expected to drive the global markets for functional foods over the next five years,” says Laura Mahecha, healthcare industry manager at Kline.
Mood foods compete directly with a number of dietary supplements that make claims of stress and anxiety reduction and mood enhancement. However, the supplements market contains a plethora of products with unsubstantiated claims and dubious ingredients. Mood foods that are able to furnish scientifically-based, proven claims of efficacy are more likely to realize commercial success.
Mood-Enhancing Foods and Beverages: The “Fun” in Functional Foods analyses opportunities, challenges, and key factors for success; examines types of mood-enhancing foods and beverages and their ingredients; and explores innovation in this high-growth segment.
Global Functional Foods and Beverages 2009: Heart Health Market Analysis and Opportunities will examine company- and brand-level sales, innovation and new product trends, regulatory impacts on claims, retail trends, and forecasts to 2013. The report will focus on products that contain heart health components, including EGCG, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, plant sterols and stanols, polyphenols, reservatrol, and vitamin D.
About Kline
Kline is a worldwide consulting and research firm dedicated to providing the kind of insight and knowledge that helps companies find a clear path to success. The firm has served the management consulting and market research needs of organizations in the chemicals, materials, energy, life sciences, and consumer products industries for nearly 50 years. For more information, visit www.KlineGroup.com.
