Exploiting the obesity epidemic

Fat keeps the food economy running smoothly. However, provoked by the media, the food sector has been put in a state of defence. The food industry must face its role in the obesity problem and take its responsibility. The struggle against obesity is just about to begin.
Elsevier Food International, Vol. 6, Number 2, May 2003
Vincent Hentzepeter

Apotentially massive demand for anti obesity products may have a skyrocketing effect on sales of low-calorie foodstuffs in the next decade. Surprisingly enough, according to a Datamonitor Diet Industry study (May 2002) the target group will not be the truly obese. These consumers with oversized waist belts will most likely stick to their daily habit of increased calorie intake. For the majority of them weight control is out of the question, let alone breaking the vicious circle. Consumers that carry around a modest amount of extra kilos are more motivated to act positively. With weight stabilisation as a possible option, they are more likely to buy dietary products. However, most promising in marketing terms are not those in the risk zone, but consumers with normal weight. The reason for this group being the most profitable is clear. These health-conscious men and women display a strong desire to manage their shape, and therefore have more willpower to apply the necessary changes to their lifestyles.
Currently there are no signs for the obesity tide to turn. On the contrary, while health representatives are ringing the alarm bells, parts of the population in Northern America, Europe and Asia are still increasing their daily energy intake. Figures show staggering rates. In the obesity Top 100, West Samoa ranks first with a hit rate of almost 80 per cent. Serbia and Kuwait hold second and third positions with both approximately 35 per cent of their population classified as extremely overweight. However, as expected, by far the largest population of obese consumers live in the US. The latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that 31 per cent (24 per cent in 1999) of adults aged 20 + have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 per cent or more. Note that a BMI of between 26 and 30 is considered overweight, while a BMI above 30 classifies as obese. This group of 59 million Americans that has outgrown size XXL, poses a threat to the US national health system and economy. The reason is that they are highly likely to develop cardiovascular diseases and other chronic diseases such as diabetes (type II) and some types of cancer at a relatively early age.
There is no sign of positive change. In fact, the future outlook is grim. Most worrying is that over ten per cent of younger pre-school-aged children are overweight, up from seven per cent in 1994. In other words: a new generation of obese Americans is on its way, in larger numbers than ever.

Overweight in Europe
The same Data Monitor on dietary foods forecasts that western European obesity rates mimic the development of the BMI profile in the US. One-third of western European consumers is now overweight and by 2006 this will increase to almost 50 per cent. Germany, Italy and Spain will be the heaviest countries with over 50 per cent of their population being medically overweight. As a reflection of this, the percentage of obese consumers will grow significantly.
This development offers new chances for the food industry. The resulting drive towards physical improvement will increase the value of the diet market to €96 billion by 2006, according to the Data Monitor report. What's more, because obesity rates are rising, consumers will buy more dairy, fats & spreads.
Alcohol will lose out. Within the various sectors of diet food, the fastest growth will be witnessed in dairy foods and bakery due to increasing consumer preference for these products.

'Eat more' imperative
In a November 2002 article in the Financial Times it was estimated that obese Americans spend $100 billion yearly on food consumption in order to satisfy their need for caloric intake. This is one of the reasons why saturated markets can still show (some) autonomous growth. It is this economic factor that makes health professionals highly sceptical about the chances that multinational food companies will take the obesity problem seriously.
Fighting overweight demands drastic measures. For instance by modifying products, eliminating hidden fats, lowering sugar contents and by warning consumers of the health risks involved in consuming high-calorie products. The reality is that with the exception of health food producers, companies will not make this happen. "How can they?" Marion Nestle responds, professor and chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies (New York University). Being the author of the book 'Food Politics', she is an expert on the obesity theme. Yes, industry has a hand in the overweight problem, she states: "Companies need to sell more food in order to expand sales, regardless of the effect on expanding waistlines. Even if they make 'healthy' foods, they still have to sell more of them. That's an 'eat more' imperative. Of course, everyone wants to focus on increasing activity and that's great. But it deflects attention away from the need for most people to eat less."

The next tobacco?
Recently, the obesity debate came to a public climax after a publication on the theme in the New Scientist (issue February 2003). In what can be seen as a frontal attack on the industry, the cover headed:
'Can fast food alter your brain in the same way as tobacco and heroin?' In more or less the same words, Fortune, on 21 January, provoked the food sector with the question: 'Is fat the next tobacco?' "These should be required reading for everyone in the food industry," Nestle comments. "Although comparing food to heroin in the New Scientist may be going too far. But read what their reporter has to say." It is not the first time that addictive properties of foods that are high in sugar ,and starch are mentioned as a major cause for obesitas. Laboratory research has shown that a disproportionate intake of high-energy products can act as a drug in rodents. In simple words: high-fat foods and sweet products stimulate opioids or 'pleasure chemicals' in the brain. The great feeling they bring, leads to a greed for food. Over time, this will feed the need for more sugar-like compounds and fat. Cold turkey symptoms have been observed in rats, once they were put on a reduced sugar diet.
It shows that part of the brain is taught to like sugary and fatty foods under the influence of eating habits. Furthermore, genetic makeup has been identified as a factor to stimulate obesitas. Currently many researchers are focussing on this subject. And although scientific evidence is still sparse and contradictory, a highly complex pattern can be recognised. Our brain that is thought to control our eating habits and weight appears to be very sensitive to factors such as sugar levels and hormones. The normal regulation that keeps the metabolic system in order can easily be offset by eating too much. Unfortunately, the more overweight a person is, the harder it becomes to reach normal weight.

Marketing obesity
Provoked by the media, the food sector has been put in a state of defence. Is this the start of a new chapter in the history of food industry? Or is this a story that in certain ways resembles the fate of the tobacco industry? After all, the first lawsuits of obese Americans against McDonalds have taken place. Excessively overweight patients have accused the fast food chain of marketing obesity. The 'victims' referred to the powerful advertising campaigns on hamburgers and French fries that got them in a strangling grip since childhood. The courts judged otherwise. However, new scientific insights may lead to other judgements and new lawsuits in the future may shed a different light on this situation.
There are more indications of a growing resistance against the food industry because of its part in the prevalence of obesity. For instance a growing pressure to tackle the obesity problem by introducing new legislation to enforce a labelling system for high-calorie foods. Obligatory obesity warnings could be part of this. In this way the food industry must face its role in the obesity problem and can be obliged to take its responsibility. Or is there another, more natural way out? "I do not think the industry can fix this problem, unless companies are willing to be less profitable," Nestle reacts. "I have two questions. Firstly, who would benefit if people actually ate more healthily? Secondly, why do companies have to grow? Until we have satisfactory answers to those questions, food companies will be facing consumer resistance, especially to efforts to market directly to children."

Ban on soft drinks
The fact that is resistance is growing can be illustrated by a ban on carbonated soft drinks in one of Los Angeles school districts last August. The ban, already in place in elementary schools, will now encompass the district's approximately 200 middle and high schools. Food & Beverage producers that sell obesity-related products should be concerned. Their image is at risk. Interesting in this respect is an announcement by multinational PepsiCo that it is pushing to make at least 50 per cent of its food and beverage products nutritious. This will be achieved by cutting fat and adding ingredients such as broccoli to snacks. McDonalds, already under scrutiny and facing a further fall of profit. said it will be using new oil for its fries and Chicken McNuggets with reduced trans-fatty acid rates. Rather late for a company that has dominated the fast food scene over the last decades. It all shows that the struggle against obesity is just about to begin. Company images will be scrutinised. And there will be winners and losers.