Personalized nutrition has the potential to revolutionize the health and wellness industry.
Personalized nutrition programs and services may be more effective in changing behavior and improving health outcomes than general population-based guidelines. Despite its promise, it often fails to deliver long-term value to consumers. In a recent webinar hosted by iNewtrition, Josh Anthony (Founder and CEO of Nlumn), Nard Clabbers (Founder NCNC Nutrition Consultancy), and Raphaëlle O’Connor (Founder and Director, inewtrition) discussed why personalized nutrition programs fall short. Many individuals are interested and invest in these programs, only to abandon them within six months due to high costs, lack of perceived progress, and complexity.
So, what will it take to help consumers stick with personalized nutrition services?
At the heart of the problem lies a disconnect between cost and perceived value. Consumers often share that the expense of personalized nutrition programs outweighs the benefits. This can be a significant barrier, especially when results are not immediate or there is not enough support.
To overcome this challenge, businesses must deliver outcomes that meet (or exceed) users’ expectations. The results must be greater than the sum of the cost plus the effort.
The key to making personalized nutrition effective is understanding what problem you will solve for your user. It’s not just about understanding an individual’s biology; it’s about tailored experiences, putting the person and their specific needs at the center. Continuous engagement is needed as health goals can shift regularly from improving sleep quality and increasing energy levels to managing emotional health. Personalized nutrition programs must adapt to these shifting goals, offering evolving communication and feedback to keep users engaged and accountable.
By aligning your product or service with consumers’ evolving needs, you make it easier for them to stay invested. This means delivering value at every stage of their journey.
Behavior change requires more than information – it demands user preparation, readiness to change, and clear and actionable steps that consumers can take without feeling overwhelmed. Whether it's delivering easy-to-understand insights from their data or fostering a community of support, companies should focus on advancing individuals’ behavior change and achieving desired outcomes.
Personalized nutrition programs risk failure if they don't offer support for behavior change. In our study of personalized nutrition consumers, nearly 2/3 of them report not getting enough support. Companies can help create continuous support systems for embracing and pursuing changes and removing perceived barriers. People want qualified professionals to guide them.
The foundation of personalized nutrition is data, but the key is making sure the data is right-sized for the user. Bombarding users with information can be counterproductive, leading to disengagement. The goal should be to collect and use only the truly relevant data that will benefit the user. Support consumers by prioritizing data pertinent to their goals and helping them use it to make better choices.
The future of personalized nutrition hinges on businesses' ability to solve real problems for the user and address the value perception challenge. As part of our strategy services, we work with our collaborators through a process that involves establishing a working model for personalized services. We identify ways to support the user to enable behavior change and drive continued engagement to help individuals achieve their health goals.