Eating strategies or lifestyle diets, like Keto, low sugar, or high protein, are becoming increasingly popular among Americans. According to our August 2019 tracker, 57% of Americans report they are following a specific eating strategy and that’s up 3 points from 54% in 2018. Following a specific eating strategy or lifestyle diet isn’t limited to a specific generational segment – in fact, nearly 50% of individuals across all generations report following a specific eating strategy. This blog discusses what’s driving consumers to increasingly adopt lifestyle diets and 3 trending diets to watch.
Factors Driving the Adoption of Lifestyle Diets
Three main factors are driving the adoption of lifestyle diets. First, is the overall trend towards wellness that Americans are adopting. In an effort to live a long and healthy life, 70% of Americans report they are proactively trying to support their health through exercise and diet.
Second is rising health conditions. 81% of American adults reporting they are managing at least one health concern, and this spans all generations. The top 5 health conditions Americans report are anxiety/stress, overweight, depression, headaches, and high blood pressure. While lifestyle diets are an obvious way to manage weight, a growing body of scientific evidence around the gut to brain connection is influencing Americans to change their diets for reasons beyond weight loss.
Finally, Americans are making an effort to educate themselves about food and nutrition and the impact it can have on their lives. 45% of Americans report they are extremely or very knowledgeable about food and nutrition and this percentage is even higher among Gen Z (52%) and Millennials (54%). This knowledge of food and nutrition is driving Americans to shift what is on their plate, substituting sugar and processed foods with more naturally sourced foods like fresh produce and protein – the basis of many lifestyle diets.
3 Trending Lifestyle Diets to Watch
Diets like Keto, Paleo, and Whole 30 have been hot topics in the industry but based upon our latest tracking data there are three diets to watch that have the highest increase in adoption growth among Americans in the last year.
- Vegan, Vegetarian, and Pescatarian
While vegan and vegetarian eating philosophies have historically been niche, they are growing in popularity particularly among younger generation. 14% of Americans report that they are following a Vegan, Vegetarian, or Pescatarian diet, up 2 points from 12% in 2018. And among younger generations the penetration of these diets is even greater, with 18% of Gen Z and 18% of Millennials adopting these lifestyle diets. As health and ecological concerns continue to grow and consumers are presented with a wider-range of plant-based alternatives, we expect to see this trend continue to grow.
- Intermittent Fasting
Consumer adoption of the intermittent fasting approach has been rapid. 6% of Americans report they are following an intermittent fasting strategy, up 4 points in the last year. Given this approach doesn’t require a specific set of foods, but is focused around longer periods of avoiding foods, it can be popular for those who believe in any type of eating approach. Proponents of this type of dieting claim it has health benefits beyond weight loss like cellular repair, reducing inflammation, and reduction in blood sugar levels, which all have longer term health benefits Americans are seeking.
- Alkaline Diet
One of the latest celebrity diet trends is the Alkaline Diet, which is based on eating foods to work with your body’s natural acid-alkaline balance and keeping blood at a consistent pH level. 3% of Americans report following an Alkaline Diet, up 2 points from 2018. The claimed benefits of the Alkaline Diet are broadly appealing and surround many aspects of wellness Americans are seeking such as anti-aging, higher energy, weight loss, and disease prevention, making this a diet trend to watch.
Understanding the Why Behind Lifestyle Diets
While there is a wide range of lifestyle diets and eating philosophies to follow, most drive to the similar goal of replacing highly processed, high sugar foods with more naturally sourced, simple ingredients to support one’s overall health and wellbeing.
For brands that want to cater to consumers following specific eating strategies and lifestyle diets, Linkage Research can provide insight to the profile of the consumer following the diet and the trends and reasons driving those choices (see our Keto Infographic example) to help refine brand positioning, messaging, and innovation plans to better reach your target. For more information, contact info@linkageresearch.com or visit https://linkageresearch.com/free-from-forum
