Despite a larger cultural awareness of physical health, exercise, and nutrition, American obesity rates have continued to rise. Twenty years ago, physicians hoped that more Americans would be in shape, but according to a recent study by the Food Research and Action Center, two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. In the 90s, it was only ¼ of the population.
Why haven’t things changed? Despite a national health industry that has only continued to grow, why are we not seeing results? How will this affect the weight loss industry in 2019?
Based on health and wellness studies conducted by doctors and nutritionists, here are a few predictions about the future of the industry.
Continued Development and Increased Competition
There’s no way the weight loss industry is going to halt. Instead, companies are going to work even harder to find easy ways to shed pounds.
Doctors have long pushed exercise and dieting as healthy methods for losing weight, but many who are overweight and reluctant to commit to a routine don’t continue these measures after a few months. The industry will continue to find a way to reach those that aren’t as committed to their goals as others if they want to see statistics decrease.
With increased research and a rapidly developing field comes increased competition, from not only weight loss companies but also dietary supplement providers and gyms.
Better Targeting of Male Audiences
Unfortunately, the industry suffers from a stigma that weight loss is primarily for women. Many men perceive the cultures as feminine, and therefore are reluctant to participate. In fact, 73% of men are overweight, in comparison to only 63% of women. Clearly, something has to change to engage men.
Weight loss companies are aware of this problem and are working to figure out how to engage men in new ways. Already, we’ve seen an increase in the use of male celebrities in advertisements.
Focus on Long-term over Short-term
A noticeable difference between the weight loss industry boom of the 90s and today’s industry climate is the change in the way we think about losing weight. Twenty years ago, companies pushed fast-acting diets that were temporary. Now there is a larger awareness that rapid and short-lived diets don’t work, and instead, a sustainable and healthy lifestyle is key.
Adding yoga a few times a week and monitoring calories doesn’t bring overnight results, but it does help. Companies will continue to encourage people to casually integrate moderate healthy habits into their routine to effectively achieve results rather than drastic diets.
Adapting to the Clean Eating Trend
As the younger generation becomes more concerned with eating clean, unprocessed foods, we’ll see the market adapt to these new dieters. Future diet products will focus more heavily on the purity of their ingredients.
Social Media Marketing
As long as social media occupies our attention, you can bet that weight loss companies will be more active on these platforms.
Companies in the 90s and early 2000s didn’t have the luxury of mass marketing via the internet, but contemporary companies will surely use app-specific marketing campaigns to get your attention. If you already see these types of ads, expect to see more in 2019.
Influencers, social media users with a large audience, will continue to be big, too. Brands reach out to these popular accounts to promote their diet and workout products in a way that feels more natural and less invasive than a traditional ad.
Final Thoughts
Although it’s impossible to predict the future, there are several indicators that the weight loss industry will continue to expand and target new audiences in 2019. Trends like clean eating and social media will play an important role in how diets, workout programs and an online weight loss program appeal to the next generation.
Feeling inspired to get in shape? You can learn more about weight loss at your doctor’s office or through a trusted online resource.
