To conclude our week of food as medicine, we’re looking at the future of the sector in Canada. We asked Dana McCauley, CEO, Alex Barlow, Vice President of Programs, and Lavina Gully, Regional Innovation Director for BC and Yukon, for their views on the future of food as medicine. Here’s what they had to say:
Q: What advances in personalized nutrition are we likely to see within the next decade?
Alex: We are likely to see more frequent and accessible options for consumers to get deep insights on their nutrition needs through DNA profiles, blood tests, or other tools. I am hopeful that it democratises access to our own health data, making it easier to assess our actual health metrics as we need it rather than having to convince a doctor to run a blood or other kind of test. How many times do you take a whack of Vitamin D in the winter as a Canadian – what if you could access your actual levels and supplement accordingly? Other critical tests such as metabolic or lipid panels could give us deeper insights as we seek to live healthier – certainly more details than just stepping on the weight scale.
Dana: The good news is that industry and consumers are more aware of how what we eat affects our health. The bad news is that this awareness hasn’t progressed in tandem with progress in health science that is extending lifespans. As a result, we have a lot of people living longer, but not necessarily better. In the next decade, there is an opportunity to make progress in lifelong nutrition science and education to ensure that people are not only living longer, but feel great every day. We see hints of this progress on the horizon with companies like Loblaws which have purchased gyms, drug stores and even medical device companies.
Lavina: We’ll see wearable devices and sensors that will provide real time tracking and monitoring of an individual’s health and integration of this data into nutrition planning. By combining health data with AI technology, personalized insights can be generated to help people better manage their health. We’ll also see greater focus on disease prevention vs treatment via continued research into nutrigenomics. More will be learned about gene-diet interactions, but funding is critical to provide high-quality evidence in the form of randomized clinical trials.
Q: How will the trend toward personalized nutrition impact the Canadian food and beverage industry?
Alex: Firstly, this is building on the existing trend for healthier food products and cleaner ingredient lists which is already impacting many brands and food manufacturers in North America. If we add in AI making personalized recommendations, providing recipes and shopping lists, and directing consumers on where to shop, it will be a big shift for the industry as retailers and brands seek to redirect their marketing efforts and get listed on these tools or platforms to be among the list of recommendations. We have already seen some of our meal kit members invest in these types of technologies. Even grocery e-commerce platforms are moving towards these types of branding and recommendation options, but to have it truly personalized based on your individual health needs will be an added level to consider and include in their growth strategies.
Dana: I imagine that we will see new kinds of specialty aisles and perhaps even online stores emerge that specialize in food as medicine. I can imagine that food businesses will start to pay more attention to corporate insurance plans, and companies such as Manulife are already starting to work with companies who are developing foods that address this topic and may in the future offer reimbursement or lower premiums for people who adopt these kinds of foods into their diets. This change will require that food companies learn new things and have messaging for a new group of stakeholders.
Lavina: To deliver effective personalized nutrition products and tools, the industry will need access to talent with specialized skillsets in nutrition, food science, data analysis and machine learning. Think bioinformatics with a food twist. Also, partnerships and collaborations with healthcare professionals will need to be developed as they play a crucial role in guiding individuals towards personalized nutrition plans.
Q: What should food companies understand about the potential growth of this trend and how should they be responding?
Alex: I think awareness is critical, and the understanding that this space is set to accelerate very quickly, with a lot of new tools and platforms launching to support consumers. Being aware of the top tools in this space and considering how you can integrate them into your growth strategies is my number one recommendation. Consumers will not be the only ones picking and choosing – food industry players will also be looking for their perfect match as they look to integrate this technology into their go-to-market strategies. For example, Walmart has already adopted a “Shop-by-Diet” tool, powered by Sifter. Sifter’s technology matches hundreds of diet, allergen, and medication attributes across every food and supplement product in their database, returning relevant foods in milliseconds for consumers. I expect to hear more and more about these kinds of partnerships in the near future.
Dana: Interesting question. I think industry needs to rally together with their associations and ensure that government understands what regulatory and claims opportunities need to be made available and verifiable. Otherwise, consumers won’t be able to buy into the concept. Industry should be keeping abreast of nutrition science by working with groups such as Dietitians of Canada and universities to make sure they are developing credible and effective products.
Lavina: The desire to eat healthy is ubiquitous, but food companies still need to earn the trust of consumers when it comes to new products or technologies. Given that personalized nutrition is so……personal, expect less reliance on product reviews or testimonials and more emphasis on rock solid data that proves the association between a tailored diet and the characteristics of the individual consumers. The proof must be in the (personalized) pudding!