People taking the new wave of GLP-1 drugs that suppress appetite have been found to eat less. But do they also have different food and lifestyle choices?
A February 2024 survey of more than 100 current and former AOM (anti-obesity drug) users by product innovation specialist Mattson found that while taking AOM drugs: It turns out that.
59% said they would drink more tap or distilled water, 66% would drink less soda and alcohol, and 38% would drink more protein drinks. Some people said they avoided carbonated drinks because the carbonation made them feel full and uncomfortable. In general, users say they eat more protein-rich foods, eggs, fruits, vegetables, salads, grains like rice and quinoa, and legumes. On the other hand, reduce your intake of sweets, sugary drinks, fatty meats, carbohydrates, salty processed foods, fried foods, alcohol, spices and dairy products. Users report being more “mindful” shoppers, making fewer impulse purchases, focusing on buying ingredients to prepare at home, going shopping less often, and reducing food waste. . Users have reported fluctuations in appetite, with many choosing to take their injections every Friday, with a gradual increase in appetite towards the end of the week. 61% said they spend “a lot less” or “a little less” the time they spend thinking about food. Users say they exercise more often. 92% reported eating less, 61% eating less, and 51% snacking less. 93% say they are drinking less portions.
Jennifer Pagano, senior insights manager at Mattson, shared the findings during a May 3 webinar, explaining: I go out a lot and go to restaurants.
“But the bottom line was that for most of the respondents, these negative aspects were overshadowed by the positive benefits of these drugs. They also felt confident in themselves and added exercise and more to their lives. We have also seen a significant increase in the number of people taking up exercise.”
“What we've seen through this study is that these drugs have fundamentally changed the way people interact with food.” Image credit: Mattson It is irrelevant to the person.”
So what does this mean for food and beverage manufacturers?
It's still early days, and this is just one data set, noted Mattson Vice President of Insights and Innovation Katie Hagan. However, she argued that the findings suggest that “traditional diet foods” are “irrelevant to this consumer.” [although Morgan Stanley research shows 44% of AOM users say they are consuming more ‘weight loss management foods’]. “New products will be needed to match consumers' new healthy lifestyles.
“What we saw through this study is that these drugs fundamentally changed the way people interact with food.”
She said AOM users are not a homogeneous group, and range from “reluctant participants” who are prescribed such drugs by their doctors to deal with health problems caused by obesity-related diseases to explore modern dietary habits. They range from “experimenters” who like to do things to “lifestyle enthusiasts”. and movement trends.
However, there were some consistent findings from Mattson's panel that indicate that AOM users want:
Small portion size. Products that help with hydration. Products that help increase protein intake to combat loss of lean muscle mass. Foods that relieve nausea and stomach discomfort.
Dr. Moreno added, “Drugs are training people to look for foods that don't make them feel sick, so in a sense they're teaching people to eat an apple instead of fried chicken. You can also eat what you eat.”
Leveraging insights from consumer panels, Mattson used its proprietary ProtoThink Ai platform to generate a number of concepts, 22 of which were tested on the panel to see which ones resonated with the new Concept: From Hydropop to Brownie Cubes
Leveraging these insights, Mattson generated a number of concepts using its proprietary ProtoThink Ai platform and tested 22 of them on AOM panels to see which ones resonated.
Some of the most popular concepts include:
Brownie Cubes (“a little sweet treat about the size of a bouillon cube”) Quick Chicken Grill Strips (a high-protein meal or snack in portable portions) Greek Yogurt Snakes (high-protein, low-fat 2-ounce mini portions) ) Greek yogurt) Mindful Cup (freeze-dried soup mix for warm and satisfying mini meals) Hydrodrop (refreshing “fruit-forward” frozen pop with fruit puree and electrolytes)
One reason AOM users avoid soda is because the carbonation makes them feel full and uncomfortable, says Mattson Protein Needs: “If you lose 4 pounds with these drugs, that's 3 pounds of fat, That's one pound of muscle lost.”
Ensuring that AOM users get enough protein is a particular challenge, said Dr. Jorge Moreno, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale University who has worked in primary care obesity medicine for 10 years.
He told webinar participants:to prevent that loss [of lean muscle mass]Although drugs are being developed to reduce fat mass rather than muscle mass, the main thing I tell my patients is that they need to think more about their protein intake. ”
Hagan added: “Our research also shows that consumers feel that increasing their protein intake helps with nausea.” [a common side effect from GLP-1 agonists]”
Mattson CEO Dr. Justin Shimek says that when it comes to protein, it often comes in thick, filling shakes with sweet flavors like vanilla or chocolate, but AOM users prefer lighter, more refreshing high-protein shakes. He said he might be looking for a drink. Featuring a variety of flavor profiles.
“I think [there are opportunities to develop] It's a clearer and simpler form of protein delivery, and the drink itself is hydrating and easy to consume. ”
Simek added: “I think these drugs are both a risk and an opportunity for the food industry, but clearly we believe this is going to be a period of disruption. Brownies won't go away completely, but for consumers You may need to think about portion sizes and packaging for some popular products that need to be presented in a meaningful way.”
Mr Hagan added: “The next big area for us to focus on is restaurant menus. We think there's a huge opportunity to apply here. [learnings from Mattson’s research] to a restaurant for some reason [the AOM users] They felt they had to forego restaurant experiences because there was nothing to eat or nothing of value considering their small needs. ”
tablets and injections
Looking to the future, Dr. Moreno says: “Right now we have success stories like Wegovy and Zepbound, and what we're seeing in the pipeline is his 50 different agents coming out that are very similar or work in a similar way. [to existing GLP-1 mimics] And I think there will be more choice and variety. ”
New delivery vehicles are also being developed to replace weekly injections, Dr. Simek added. “At the end of the day, these drugs are peptides. They're protein-based and they're digested. So that's where a lot of the technology around tablets is directed. How do you protect them? How do you release them? I think there will be a lot of development in terms of appropriate delivery formats.”
He clarified that GLP-1 mimetics like semaglutide are unlikely to be incorporated into food products any time soon, as food and drug regulations differ. This is the case for pharmaceuticals and food and social support. ”
References:
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