It’s a relatively simple equation: take in more energy than you burn and you will gain weight; expend more energy than you take in and you can expect to shed a few pounds. But for millions of people weighed down by, well, themselves, the scales are tipping in the wrong direction.
 
“Food and beverages contain energy in the form of carbohydrates (4 calories/gram), protein (4 calories/gram) and fat (9 calories/gram),” noted Loren Ward, director of research and development, Glanbia Nutritionals, Monroe, WI. “If people are not willing to consume less energy than they expend they will never move on to the next phase of weight loss, which includes learning what types of foods may be beneficial, what products may help you feel fuller and what foods send the right physiological signals that are beneficial during weight loss.”
 
The allure of a “magic bullet” for weight loss presents a significant challenge to those working in the field, he added. But that bullet simply doesn’t exist. “The biggest revolution in weight loss will come when consumers realize that in most cases it takes commitment, discipline, willpower and a conscientious effort to lose weight.”
 
Jeff Wuagneux, president and CEO, RFI Ingredients, Blauvelt, NY, agreed that educating consumers on weight loss principles such as the energy-balancing concept should be at the forefront of any strategy aimed at addressing obesity over the long term. He said the industry also needs to get away from the “quick fix” concept while conveying that dieting is a process. “Many people still do not want to admit that lifestyle changes are what will have the most influence on weight loss/management. This is the biggest challenge to the industry—educating consumers that their ‘quick-fix’ mentality is the wrong way to approach weight loss.”
 
But traditional approaches to dieting simply don’t work for a significant portion of the population, according to Rhonda Witwer, senior business development manager of nutrition, National Starch Food Innovation, Bridgewater, NJ. “People can lose weight, but keeping it off is the serious problem. It may be that we’re focusing on the wrong target. We’ve been pretending that calories are calories, when scientific studies are proving that this is not true. Yes, calories count, but some types of foods—like resistant starch—help by focusing on the underlying metabolic mechanisms. We need to teach people to eat better and to choose the foods that will satisfy them and help their bodies work the way they were supposed to.”
 
She encouraged people to look at excessive weight as a symptom of underlying metabolic imbalances, not just a condition that can be treated in isolation. “Metabolically, insulin resistance is the beginning of the loss of wellness. The medical community recognizes this in its definitions of ‘metabolic syndrome.’ The imbalance causes further imbalances: higher than normal levels of insulin cause individuals to gain weight, which triggers additional insulin resistance—both of which lead to type 2 diabetes. Most often, they aren’t independent; they’re indisputably related.”
 
‘F as in Fat’
 
Obesity is one of the most challenging health crises the U.S. has ever faced, according to Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which issued its annual “F as in Fat” report in July. “Two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of children and teens are currently obese or overweight, putting them at increased risk for more than 20 major diseases, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” the report said. “It’s not just our health that is suffering: obesity-related medical costs and a less productive workforce are hampering America’s ability to compete in the global economy.”
 
There has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the U.S. during the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About one-third of U.S. adults (34%) are obese, based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Meanwhile, approximately 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese.
 
And the epidemic has gone global. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), global obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2008, 1.5 billion adults were overweight; and 65% of the world’s population now lives in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than those who are underweight. Additionally, nearly 43 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010.
 
The “F as in Fat” report also acknowledged a link between overweight/obesity and poverty in the U.S., in terms of low income and lack of education. While areas where healthy, affordable food remains difficult to obtain (i.e., food deserts) continue to impact lower socioeconomic populations, and the gap between the rich and poor grows wider than ever, the public health crisis at hand becomes much more complex than the simple “energy in vs. energy burned” equation.
 
Interestingly, looking at nations collectively, the WHO has noted that as wealth increases, so does obesity. Steve Holtby, president and CEO, Soft Gel Technologies, Inc. (SGTI), Los Angeles, CA, addressed this issue, saying, “Modern society is giving Americans many more incentives to gain weight than to lose it. It’s no surprise that we are burning fewer calories. We have new technologies that allow us to be more productive at work and at home, making our jobs and lives easier; we spend more time watching TV. We appear to be victims of our success as a nation.”
 
It seems the theory may be applied to the Far East as well. In China, according to a 2008 study published in Health Affairs, obesity has accelerated during the past decade and could double over the next two decades. Another study published in the American Journal of Health Behavior noted that Chinese children raised in families with higher incomes and advanced education levels are more likely to become obese, which is a much different case than the U.S. and Europe. Researchers suggested this trend could be a result of Chinese families being able to afford more fatty food than was previously available; meat consumption has been on the rise and may be contributing to the obesity problem.
 
The U.S. government has been taking a more proactive approach to improving public health lately. For example, hoping to curb childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced the Let’s Move! Campaign in February 2010, saying at that time, “The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake.”
 
Meanwhile, in June this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its new food icon, MyPlate, which replaced the food pyramid in order to communicate nutritional information to consumers more effectively.
 
Opportunity in Crisis
 
Estimates from Nutrition Business Journal’s (NBJ) 2011 Sports Nutrition and Weight Loss report indicate U.S. consumer sales of weight loss pill form supplements reached $1.6 billion in 2010, declining 0.4% from 2009. However, weight-loss meal replacement supplements were up 3% in 2010, at $2.4 billion.
 
While sales seem to be in somewhat of a slump—like most world economies these days—the market may be undergoing a cleansing of “unsubstantiated and inefficacious products, making way for new and innovative formulations,” according to Hiren Doshi, vice president, OmniActive Health Technologies, Short Hills, NJ. “That perhaps also explains why our ingredient Capsimax is gaining popularity even in such a downturn. We at OmniActive believe this category as a whole will see a renaissance with renewed vigor.”
 
Scott Steil, president, Nutra Bridge, Shoreview, MN, suggested FDA’s New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) Notification Guidance, which was released in draft form in July, could further impact the market going forward. “The current controversy around NDIs is also a challenge for all companies selling weight loss products. My opinion is that once we have a clear understanding of the new policy and it is enforced, several of the suspect weight loss products will simply not exist in the marketplace. In the long run, this is a positive for our industry.”
 
As with any category in the nutraceuticals space, Mitch Skop, senior director of new product development, Pharmachem Laboratories Inc., Kearny, NJ, said, “evolution stems from quality sourcing, proprietary processing and research into new ingredients or technologically sophisticated fusing of natural ingredients.”
 
As consumers continue to struggle with their weight, the catalogue of products available will evolve as well, said Caroline Brons, senior marketing manager, DSM Nutritional Products, Parsippany, NJ. “While consumer health awareness is increasing and consumers express growing concern about overweight and obesity, there remains a disconnect between attitudes and actual behavior when it comes to dealing with weight issues.”
 
According to the “2011 HealthFocus Trend Report,” 60% of primary shoppers in the U.S. are overweight or obese, Ms. Brons added. “For most shoppers, a major obstacle to weight loss is their failure to uphold a consistent diet and exercise routine. Shoppers say they eat too much (even though they know how much they should be eating) and at the same time they say snacking too much is an issue for them.”
 
So consumers seem to be well aware of their weight problems, even as they struggle to address these issues. According to a Datamonitor survey from July/August 2010, 72% of consumers across the globe believe “maintaining an ideal weight” is a “very important” or “important” priority. Additionally, 63% of consumers report making greater attempts to eat healthy, up 6% from 2009.
 
Globally, 57% of women say they are trying to lose weight compared to 41% of men. The typical dieter now makes four weight loss attempts per year, the highest number in 15 years, per Marketdata Enterprises. The 2010 International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food & Health Survey indicated 44% of people cited lack of willpower as a barrier to keeping their weight management goals on track; 40% said lack of time; and 38% said not seeing results quickly.
 
Fat claims are more important than calorie counts in terms of product positions, according to Datamonitor, with 44% of survey respondents saying low/reduced fat had a “high” or “very high” amount of influence when making food and beverage choices. Hunger control and metabolism-boosting products also show promise, but consumers are distrustful of the motives and credibility of the weight management industry overall, presenting a significant obstacle to category growth.
 
Product Positioning
 
Today’s market favors well-established ingredients with solid clinical data to support efficacy and safety, according to Mr. Steil, of Nutra Bridge. “It’s not just about the latest ingredient to hit the weight loss scene. Serious companies committed to long-term growth in the weight loss category are using ingredients that offer rock solid claims and deliver results to the customer.”

7-Keto (3-acetyl-7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone) from Humanetics Corp., is a non-stimulant, thermogenic fat burner that effectively allows the body to burn fat more efficiently. Specifically, 7-Keto increases the activity of key fat burning enzymes, according to Mr. Steil.

Multiple clinical studies have shown that 7-Keto produces 200% greater weight loss than placebo (diet and exercise). This translated to an average additional 5 pounds of weight loss above that produced by diet and exercise alone. Additionally, the majority of the weight loss was pure body fat. 7-Keto also increases metabolism by 5.4% compared to placebo, which was a restricted calorie diet.

“The key driver that separates 7-Keto from other weight loss ingredients is the efficacy and safety it offers as documented by published, human clinical studies,” said Mr. Steil. “We have invested millions of dollars in the science that supports our product, which is really starting to pay off as the weight management category becomes more demanding. Developing new weight loss products today requires the use of products that are proven to work to satisfy more savvy consumers as well as support ethical marketing claims. 7-Keto has become a perfect product to drive the efficacy of any weight loss product and has posted triple digit sales gains in the last 24 months.”

Additionally, InSea2 from innoVactiv Corp., blocks both starch and sugar assimilation by inhibiting alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase enzymes), he noted. It reduces post meal glucose levels by 44%, insulin levels by 22% and increases insulin sensitivity by 7% versus placebo.
 
Shaheen Majeed, marketing manager, Sabinsa Corporation, East Windsor, NJ, agreed that well-researched products will continue to push the market forward. “The weight management industry has an increasing need for more scientifically proven and validated products. With nearly two-thirds of our population overweight (one-third in the obese category), losing or managing our weight is necessary to prevent disease and to avoid increased health costs.”
 
Sabinsa’s LeanGard contains a proprietary blend of natural botanical extracts that support healthy body composition and weight management (or keeping body weight at a healthy level), he added. The formula contains ForsLean, Sabinsa’s patented extract from the roots of Coleus forskohlii (standardized to contain the diterpene forskolin 10%); GarCitrin, a patented extract from Garcinia cambogia fruit containing hydroxycitric acid (HCA) and garcinol; and BioPerine, a patented extract from black pepper fruit and a bioavailability enhancer containing the alkaloid piperine.
 
“The composition of LeanGard is designed to facilitate the actions of the individual botanical ingredients and improve bioavailability to the target tissues and cells,” said Mr. Majeed. “LeanGard has been evaluated clinically, and the study results qualify this multi-component nutraceutical as an effective emerging natural weight loss formula.” Alongside a balanced diet and physical exercise, the product can be part of a comprehensive weight management program, he added.
 
Ultimately, consumers refuse to compromise on safety or efficacy, said Sandrine Cuisenier, marketing manager of France-based Ingredia Nutritional. “Most of our weight management ingredients have a mechanism of action based on the endocrinological system and act on metabolic syndrome. Therefore, our ingredients not only help manage weight but they also help people stay healthy.”
 
Ingredia’s weight management portfolio includes Starchlite, an all-natural extract of white bean clinically proven to reduce the glycemic index of starchy foods (distributed by Pharmachem and known as Phase 2 Carb Controller in the U.S.); Carblite, which has a synergistic action on both simple sugars and complex carbohydrates to help weight and body measurements reduction; and Lactium, an all-natural stress symptoms moderator proven to help reduce food cravings.
 
Pharmachem’s Mr. Skop said Phase 2/Starchlite continues to gain popularity due to recognition of the role carbohydrates play in weight gain. “A recent white paper review published earlier this year in Nutrition Journal concluded that Phase 2 has demonstrated the ability to cause weight loss with doses of 500 to 3000 mg per day, in either a single dose, or in divided doses. It also has the ability to reduce the post-prandial spike in blood glucose levels.”
 
Additionally, green tea remains a popular, natural and easy-to-consume thermogenic ingredient, he said. “Many people have found green tea, either alone or in conjunction with L-carnitine and/or chromium, to be tolerable and effective when they desire a supplement that helps burn fat when engaging in a healthier diet plus exercise. We own a brand of high purity green tea called Teavigo, ‘the world’s purest green tea,’ which does well in this category.”
 
Speaking of chromium, Bill Levi, vice president of operations, Nutrition 21, Purchase, NY, said new research has looked at helping the brain control cravings. “Since the brain uses more glucose than any other organ in the body, proper glucose metabolism looks as if it plays an important part in satiety. In a recent clinical study, Chromax chromium picolinate was found to help reduce cravings for high fat and high carbohydrate-containing foods, leading to a 25% reduction in caloric intake after 8 weeks.”
 
Kevin Owen, PhD, NAFTA head of technical marketing and scientific affairs, Lonza, Basil, Switzerland, said the company’s Carnipure L-carnitine tartrate, as well as Carniking (used in animal feed applications) have experienced a surge in demand in the last few years “due to strong scientific evidence, favorable regulatory status and appeal to end consumers. New capacities for Carnipure and Carniking will allow us to meet our customers’ future demands in new and fast-growing markets, thus securing our long-term leadership in this business.”
 
For Carnipure, a novel paradigm has emerged with research conducted at the University of Connecticut utilizing Carnipure tartrate, said Mr. Owen. “This paradigm places L-carnitine in the important role of facilitating the recovery process in response to a hypoxic stimulus such as physical activity. In this role, Carnipure helps to protect the endothelial cells from an L-carnitine deficiency, mediate the markers of purine catabolism, reduce tissue damage and muscle soreness, and facilitate the overall process of recovery after exercise. Therefore, Carnipure is an emerging supplement that may well have targeted and specific roles to play in the exercise domain, as well as in other domains involving clinical populations.”
 
Bob Green, president, Nutratech, West Caldwell, NJ, noted increased emphasis on scientifically supported thermogenic ingredients like his company’s patented bitter orange extract, Advantra Z. “With both their health and appearance at stake, consumers are demanding weight management supplements, as well as functional foods and beverages that work.” Advantra Z works by increasing thermogenesis—the natural process that produces heat in the body—to help burn calories and fat, he said. As calories and fat burn, energy is released.
 
Some ingredients have a longer history of use than others, noted OmniActive’s Mr. Doshi. “We have found capsicum to be quite popular due to the fact that it has been a dietary staple for hundreds of years. Over the past 30 years, studies including animal and human subjects prove the enormous potential of red hot capsicum and capsaicinoids as a safe, effective ingredient to support weight management and sports nutrition.” Benefits include appetite management, induction of themogenesis and promotion of lipolysis (lipid breakdown).
 
Steve Siegel, vice president, Ecuadorian Rainforest, LLC, Belleville, NJ, said too many consumers believe supplements can do all the work. “Dietary supplements are just that, a supplement to a healthy lifestyle. Exercise and healthy eating will always have to be a part of a person’s weight management goals.”
 
Ecuadorian Rainforest offers Cha de Bugre from Brazil. “Brazilians extract this key resource from the leaves, fruit and bark of the tree, which has been used in infusions, tinctures, tablets and capsules for years. Notable characteristics of this ingredient include appetite reduction, cellulite reduction and urination stimulation.”
 
While losing weight remains the ultimate goal for millions of people, Glanbia’s Mr. Ward emphasized that it’s important to trim fat and maintain muscle at the same time. Typically, when people lost weight, half is in the form of muscle and the other half is fat, he noted. “We have been able to show that by consuming a combination of milk-derived proteins, peptides and minerals (Prolibra) your body will prefer to use body fat as the primary source of energy instead of muscle. As a result, you retain lean muscle and promote fat loss as the dominant form of weight loss.”
 
RFI Ingredients’ Mr. Wuagneux said his company’s Chocamine product addresses the whole dieting process (eating less and exercising more). “Chocamine is the only patented and self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) cocoa-based ingredient for energy, mood, craving-control and cognitive function,” he said. “It is comprised of a synergistic blend of substances found in chocolate, and known to promote energy, focus, mood and performance, as well as satisfy cravings.”
 
Chocamine is standardized to leverage the “full symphony” of chocolate’s beneficial components, he added. “Some of the most notable compounds include xanthine alkaloids (principally theobromine, a mild stimulant and cognitive aid), amino acids, nutritional minerals, biogenic amines, anandamides and polyphenols. It provides non-caffeinated energy, helps suppress cravings and improve mood and focus so you can succeed in a weight loss program long term.”
 
Taking Control
 
Since losing weight becomes more difficult as people age, products that address more sophisticated mechanisms of action offer great value when diet and exercise aren’t enough, according to Suzanne McNeary, president of Icon Group, LLC (a NutraGenesis affiliate company) of Brattleboro, VT.
 
“Satiety and appetite control will continue to be popular mechanisms to address weight management,” she said. “What we have seen at Icon Group in the last eight months has been a significant increase in companies wanting to address leptin resistance, which impacts not only weight management but overall metabolic wellness. Nearly 50 million Americans currently have metabolic syndrome. This trend is particularly disconcerting to health officials because if you have metabolic syndrome you are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease and five times more likely to develop diabetes.”
 
Icon’s WellTrim iG and Lepticore directly address leptin resistance and metabolic wellness, she noted. WellTrim iG is a patented extract of Irvingia gabonensis, also known as African Mango. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trial with 102 healthy overweight and obese subjects the group that received 150 mg of WellTrim iG twice a day experienced an average weight loss after 10 weeks of 28 pounds. Consumption of WellTrim iG also resulted in a 527% reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) and a 49% reduction in serum leptin levels. In another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, subjects who took Lepticore twice a day experienced a 15% reduction in CRP after 8 weeks and leptin function improved, as indicated by a 47% drop in serum leptin versus placebo. Average weight loss was 11.5 pounds in the treatment group compared to 1.8 pounds in the placebo group.
 
Satiety ingredients are increasingly recognized as valuable assets within a sensible strategy aimed at achieving weight loss, according to DSM’s Ms. Brons. “Managing your weight by incorporating appetite control ingredients into your existing diet makes a lot of sense and helps consumers feel in control.” 
 
DSM’s Fabuless, an oil emulsion developed to help control appetite, works in the same way as the human body’s natural appetite control mechanism (the ileal brake), Ms. Brons added. “Following consumption of Fabuless, the presence of small amounts of undigested lipids in the small intestine send a signal to the brain telling you that you are comfortably full. This signaling mechanism creates a natural feeling of satiety and reduced hunger feelings. Clinical studies have shown that Fabuless helps you to eat less and reduce calorie intake by up to 30%.”
 
Positioned to make a long-term impact on the weight management market, protein and fiber both help people feel fuller with fewer calories per meal, according to Sarah Staley, vice president of business development, FrieslandCampina Domo, Paramus, NJ. In fact, 68% of consumers believe protein helps build muscle, 40% say it helps you to feel full and 37% cite a link to general weight loss, according to the IFIC “2010 Food & Health Survey.”
 
“However, even satiety itself has now been found to be a sum of different mechanisms, including physical bulking, delayed gastric emptying and effect on hormonal regulation of hunger.”
 
The company’s Vivinal GOS, a dairy-derived prebiotic oligosaccharide appears to address several mechanisms associated with satiety, she added. “Vivinal GOS has bulking ability in the stomach and small intestine thus delaying gastric emptying and contributing to a feeling of fullness.”
 
Corey Jansen, North America product manager, Kemin Health, Des Moines, IA, said his company’s Slendesta, a natural protein sourced from potatoes, also helps to manage weight through hunger control. “It works naturally with the body to control hunger without unpleasant side effects such as jitters or bloating that are common with other weight management ingredients,” he noted. “Slendesta has been proven in human clinical studies to help control hunger and help people lose weight.”
 
In addition to satiety, R.V. Venkatesh, managing director of Gencor Pacific Ltd, Anaheim, CA, said the weight management market has evolved in recent years to address areas like insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and abdominal adiposity in an effort to address root causes of obesity. Ingredients like the company’s Slimaluma for hunger control and abdominal adiposity reduction are getting more popular, he added. “Our Slimaluma is supported by human clinicals, animal studies and cell line studies—all peer-reviewed and published detailing its mode of action in combating metabolic syndrome.”
 
Taking a weight loss pill is not a panacea, he added. “There has to be a serial re-think of dietary habits. A suitable diet along with adequate supplementation and exercise is the only way forward.”
 
National Starch’s Ms. Witwer said blood sugar control, or the maintenance of good insulin sensitivity levels, should be a critical focal point. “High levels of insulin inhibit the use of fat as energy. This also increases the production of fatty acids. Thus, high levels of circulating insulin promote fat storage and prevent fat from being utilized as energy. This helps to explain the fact that approximately 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight.”
 
Lowering the levels of circulating insulin will help to increase fat burning and decrease fat storage, she added. “Thus, reducing insulin resistance may lead to improvements in weight control as well as blood glucose control.”
 
A recent study indicated that low doses of natural Hi-maize resistant starch could improve insulin sensitivity in men at risk for prediabetes. The randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial consisted of three 4-week treatment periods, separated by 3-week washouts. Subjects consumed either 15 or 30 grams/day of resistant starch (measured as dietary fiber) from Hi-maize resistant starch, with a control starch including no resistant starch. The men experienced a statistically significant average improvement in insulin sensitivity of 56.5% and 73% for the low- and high-dose treatments, respectively. In contrast, the same study did not find an improvement in insulin sensitivity in overweight women. Authors suggested that responses in women might have differed, as they were less insulin-resistant at baseline and changes over the menstrual cycle may have obscured the effects.
 
“Studies have shown that lowering insulin resistance can actually lead to easier weight loss,” said Ms. Witwer. “So by attacking the insulin sensitivity/resistance issue, we can give assistance to the goal of weight management. With the costs in human suffering and medical treatment associated with diabetes, we should be doing everything we can to meet this burgeoning challenge. Put another way, we can’t afford to wait to lose weight.”
 
SGTI’s Mr. Holtby said his company promotes stimulant-free dietary supplements that support glucose modulation and carbohydrate inhibition. “Our GlucoHelp formula contains corosolic acid derived from the banaba plant (Lagerstroemia speciosa, L.), which is clinically proven to help balance blood glucose levels.”
 
The company also offers conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) soft gels. “CLA is a weight management ingredient of interest because of its purported effects on body composition,” said Mr. Holtby. “Studies have shown that CLA can reduce body fat mass.”
 
Alongside insulin sensitivity/diabetes, research continues to link overweight/obesity with many other areas of health, noted Paula Nurnberger, marketing manager, PL Thomas, Morristown, NJ. “In this rather vast category, satiety promotion, inhibiting fat cells/promoting breakdown of fat cells and supporting weight health through reducing liver fat are all areas gaining interest, traction and consumer appeal.”
 
The company’s Xanthigen combines pure brown seaweed extract standardized for fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil standardized for punicic acid. “This novel combination has been shown to encourage the liver to shed stored fat, thus improving metabolic function and energy expenditure—resulting in more expeditious reduction of body fat,” said Ms. Nurnberger.
 
The company’s Adipromin also inhibits adipose cell formation and enhances the breakdown of fatty tissues, she added. In double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies, Adipromin was shown to reduce body mass index and positively impact cholesterol, triglycerides and serum adiponectin, a protein hormone that modulates numerous metabolic processes, including regulating glucose and breaking down fatty acids for use as energy. This resulted in healthy weight loss (weight health). PL Thomas also offers Satiereal, derived from saffron, which improves serotonin levels. Double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies show Satiereal increases satiety, decreases hunger, reduces sugar cravings and reduces compulsive snacking.