‘Food as medicine’ concept embraced by consumers

Of 2,054 U.S. adults polled, 84% weigh health and wellness as a key factor when buying fresh food, according to Deloitte’s “Fresh Food as Medicine for the Heartburn of High Prices” report, released Monday. What’s more, about 75% said they’re actively seeking more personalized nutrition, up 13 percentage points from a year ago, and 55% will pay extra for “the right foods” that bolster their health and wellness.

Deloitte, which in July surveyed consumers ages 18 to 70 who influenced fresh food purchases in their households, noted that its study’s findings buttress the concept of “food as medicine,” or using food and diet to prevent and treat specific health conditions and further personal wellness goals.

For example, 80% of survey respondents think fresh foods are better for you than packaged or processed foods that are marketed as healthy. In turn, most of those polled believe certain foods bring functional wellness benefits, such as boosting mental or physical performance (cited by 79%), providing preventive (78%) or therapeutic health properties (76%), or serving as the best medicine (75%).

Many also seek specific benefits from food such as weight management (43%), managing existing medical conditions (32%), disease prevention (39%), immunity building (35%), improving emotional/mental health (34%), raising cognitive performance (21%) and boosting athletic performance (13%).

Others target general wellness benefits from purchasing fresh food. Deloitte found that 52% favor fresh options to “feel good,” 45% to lift overall energy and 24% to “look good.”

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