Every time the average American gets in his car, he buckles his seatbelt. Most Americans wear seatbelts when they drive (80 percent all of the time and 90 percent on highways, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)). That same average Joe in his car may also stop at a fast-food joint while in his car and pick up a high-fat, sodium-filled, high-caloric meal and enjoy a sugary soda to boot. That seat belt is likely to protect him from being one of the 41,000 people who die in car accidents every year; but, that cheeseburger puts him at an even higher risk of being one of the 652,000 that die of heart disease in the United States each year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). If his life takes that turn, he won’t be alone, as 27 percent of all U.S. deaths are caused by heart disease. If he doesn’t face death, he could be one of the more than 71 million Americans who suffer from with one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
With so many Americans facing this disease, it’s no wonder they say they are concerned with CVD. The International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) Functional Foods/Foods for Health consumer survey released in August 2009 found CVD, which includes heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol and stroke, is the number one health concern, with 48 percent of responders saying it was the most important. That same survey found 85 percent think foods and beverages can help improve heart health.
This awareness and need for our country to reduce the number one cause of death has spurred the market for ingredients that promote heart health.
“Functional products for heart health have been embraced by consumers because of the high prevalence of heart disease and increased awareness of products that help support a healthy heart,” said Paul Dijkstra, CEO, InterHealth Nutraceuticals. “The heart-health category has undergone somewhat of a revolutionary process during the past decade or so. There is an interrelated triage of consumer interest, product activity and manufacturer intent. Along with the increased interest and awareness on the consumer and professional side about the importance of supplementation—using nutraceuticals as well as functional foods and beverages—for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, manufacturers have significantly increased their research activities developing new compounds and new product forms much to the liking of consumers.”
Dijkstra also noted according to Mintel, functional products positioned for cardiovascular health hold a 15 percent market, which is second only to products with digestive health claims.
Matt Phillips, president, Cyvex Nutrition, said he has noticed increasing product launches with heart-healthy ingredients. “Perhaps the most significant trend is the increasing number of functional foods and beverages that contain viable and stable amounts of a variety of nutraceutical ingredients specific to heart health,” he said. “We feel this trend is so strong and will continue because basically, people need to eat and drink to survive. So, why not consume foods and beverages that actually support the structure and function of the cardiovascular system?”
Phillips said he has seen younger people taking control of their health early. He noted, “We are seeing younger adults (30-somethings) being very aware of cardiovascular health, which was practically unheard of only a couple of decades ago. This is great news, too, as it reflects how the mainstream media has continued to encourage people of all ages to take care of their hearts and their overall health. The messaging is out there and continues, and the industry needs to build upon that to provide quality heart-health products for our modern lifestyle.”
Industry members say product launches with heart-health ingredients are up, and those are the few good sellers during these difficult economic times. In Cognis’ financial statement of the first half of 2009, its Nutrition & Health segment saw sales decrease by 8 percent globally; but sales of its plant sterol ingredients were robust. “Just like almost all other manufacturers, in general we saw a decrease in sales, but our plant sterol sales carried the business for the first half,” said Laura Troha, marketing manager, Cognis Nutrition & Health. “Although we’ve all been hit hard with economic struggles, Cognis in particular has seen our heart-health ingredients outperform our other ingredients in our portfolio.”
