Nestlé Health Science Targets Weight Loss Side-Effects

The surge in sales of weight loss drugs – particularly in the US – is having a ripple effect on other markets, both in the foods and healthcare sectors.

Weight loss drugs are believed to be behind a fall in demand for the kind of foods associated with weight gain. Analysts at Morgan Stanley estimate that US consumption of fizzy soft drinks, baked goods and salty snacks could fall by up to 3% by 2035.

These drugs are also reshaping the healthcare industry, as people seek solutions to some of the unwanted cosmetic effects of rapid weight loss.

One such effect is so-called ‘Ozempic face’, which is characterised by sunken cheeks and eyes and deeply creased features, which is now fuelling demand for healthcare products to counteract these cosmetic issues. 

One company at the forefront of this growing market is Nestlé Health Science, is a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A., the Swiss multinational food and drink company that, by revenue, has been the largest publicly held food company in the world since 2014. 

It has introduced GLP-1 Nutrition, an initiative to support consumers during their weight loss efforts. “Nutrition, science, and wellness must merge – not collide,” the company says.

Its GLP-1 Nutrition offerings are available via a new web platform that offers extensive nutritional guidance to people focused on managing their weight.

Nestlé Health Science GLP-1 Nutrition range

Products also include hair growth supplements – hair loss can be another side effect of rapid weight loss – electrolyte tablets and collagen peptides that improve skin elasticity.

The launch of GLP-1 Nutrition builds on Nestlé’s Vital Pursuits food range, set to be launched later this year. This contains 12 portion-controlled frozen meals, which are high in protein and fibre. Vital Pursuit is intended to be a companion for GLP-1, as they are portion-aligned to a weight loss medication user's appetite. 

Nestlé also plans to sell electrolyte tablets with strawberry-lemonade flavour for those upping their exercise regimens, as well as collagen peptides to boost skin elasticity, as well as multivitamins and fibre supplements.

Nestlé’s new weight-loss healthcare offerings are helping offset a drop in demand for some of its confectionary brands – including KitKat and Smarties, which have been hit by the rise of weight-loss medicines.

Anna Mohl, Chief Executive of Nestlé Health Science, told Bloomberg recently that it was “keeping up with changing needs among customers”, adding that its products would “help preserve lean muscle mass, manage digestive upset and assure an adequate daily consumption of micronutrients”.

About Nestlé Health Science

Nestlé Health Science was established in 2011, and stemmed from Nestlé's desire to expand into the health and wellness sector, capitalising on the growing market for nutritional products with medical applications.

Its product portfolio includes nutritional supplements, medical nutrition products, and condition-specific foods. Among its most profitable offerings are the Boost and Carnation Breakfast Essentials brands, which provide nutritional drinks and supplements.

It employs around 11,000 people globally, and its largest markets are North America and Europe, with emerging markets in Asia and Latin America showing growth potential.

In the fiscal year 2023, the company reported revenue of US$ 6.8bn, a 7.1% increase on the previous year.

The weight-loss boom explained

The world’s population is ageing, and as it does so it is also getting fatter, with obesity reaching unprecedented levels in the developed world. This societal trend is reshaping the healthcare landscape, as demand continues to increase for weight loss drugs, many of which were originally developed to help combat type 2 diabetes.

Such treatments include Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, Adipex, Qysmia, Xenical, Imcivree, Contrave and Lomaira

According to the World Obesity Federation –  the only global organisation focused exclusively on obesity – nearly 40% of the global population is overweight or obese, and by 2035 this is forecast to increase to 51% (more than 4 billion people).

Diabetes and weight-loss drugs are proving effective at helping people shed as much as 20% of their body weight, in far less time than it would take by making lifestyle changes, involving diet and exercise levels.

But as with many medicines, there are side effects, which can include nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, bloating and stomach cramps.

But for many, the most unwanted outcomes of weight loss medications are not physiological, but cosmetic.