Frost & Sullivan: Rising Obesity Rates Drive the Global Weight Management Ingredients Market

LONDON, June 23, 2010 - Obesity rates, which have been steadily rising in Europe and the United
States, are now increasing in Asian nations as well. While healthy eating and
lifestyle management are the key solutions to weight management, they remain
challenging for many consumers. As a result, the weight management
ingredients market offers significant prospects worldwide.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.food.frost.com),
Opportunities in Global Weight Management Ingredients, finds that the market
earned revenues of $7.5 million in 2008 and estimates this to reach $13.9
million by 2015. The applications covered in this research service are
satiety ingredients/appetite suppressants, fat burners (thermogenic
ingredients) and other weight management ingredients.

"Greater economic activity and rising disposable income levels of working
professionals in Asian nations such as China and India are resulting in a
consumer shift away from traditionally produced food toward a
convenience-based western diet that is further exacerbated by more sedentary
lifestyles," according to Frost & Sullivan. "The resultant rise in obesity
rates is spurring consumer interest in active health management, fuelling
market growth."

Tackling and managing obesity is an enormous challenge, both for
governments and for the food industry, because the associated health burden
affects other industry sectors as well. Weight management ingredients are the
food and beverage industry's answer to this spreading global predicament and
their popularity is growing globally thanks to an extensive range of food,
beverage and supplement products.

However, issues regarding the placement of herbal medicines on the
market, together with the length of time it takes for novel foods to be
approved for human consumption in Europe, are the major problems for food
manufacturers, restricting manufacturer innovation and causing hesitancy in
the market. Additionally, raising awareness among consumers represents a
primary challenge for food and beverage manufacturers globally, though this
can be facilitated with successful product legislation.

"Creating products that are both functional and palatable is another
challenge, with several of the accepted weight management ingredients having
an undesirable taste profile," explains the report. "Taste is a key area of
concern for food and beverage manufacturers in relation to the finished
product's efficacy and desirability, making functionality and taste equally
important."

To succeed in the global weight management ingredients market,
manufacturers should find innovative ways to prolong ingredient lifespan,
work toward securing favourable legislation, and introduce new ingredients
into this market.

"Manufacturers should focus on building brand equity, by utilising
co-branding," concludes the report. "Furthermore, they should provide
technical documentation and a clear illustration of the benefits and safety
associated with each individual weight management ingredient, in order to
facilitate effective marketing messages from food and drink manufacturers."

If you are interested in more information on this study, please e-mail
Monika Kwiecinska, Corporate Communications, at monika.kwiecinska@frost.com,
with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail
address, company website, city, state and country.

Opportunities in Global Weight Management Ingredients is part of the Food
& Beverage Ingredients Growth Partnership Services programme, which also
includes research in the following markets: Heart health ingredients, bone &
joint health ingredients and digestive health ingredients. All research
services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and
industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with
market participants.

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    Opportunities in Global Weight Management Ingredients
    M3F7

    Contact:
    Monika Kwiecinska
    Corporate Communications - Europe
    P: +48-22-390-4127
    F: +48-22-390-4160
    E: monika.kwiecinska@frost.com

www.frost.com

Monika Kwiecinska, Corporate Communications - Europe, Frost & Sullivan, +48-22-390-4127, fax: +48-22-390-4160, monika.kwiecinska at frost.com