Science has linked mood and food in many ways. For example, research has suggested that foods high in fat and sugar can be addictive while unhealthy diets have been associated with depression.

One of the most significant issues on the minds of consumers today is their mental health, or how equipped they feel to cope with the ever-changing, ever-busy world around them. The HealthFocus International trend study has shown stress to be a key consumer concern dating back to the earliest of studies. As the trend study has moved forward, the focus now is on finding out how people cope with stress and the larger question: “What can we do to help?”

The Food Solution
Depression itself is a clinical illness that can be caused by a number of factors, including medication, conflicts, death, genetics, major illness and so on. It is not known whether or not the one in five respondents in the HealthFocus Trend Study who said they are affected by depression are actually suffering from clinical depression or are just reflecting some degree of mood change. However, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression rates were close to 7.6% through 2012.

It’s likely that many of the people in the HealthFocus study are identifying with different issues: some with major depression but most with sadness, stress and an inability to cope at certain times. For the latter group, more and more, these mood-related needs are things consumers would like to see addressed by foods and beverages. 

Since 2008, there has been significant growth in the number of people interested in seeing benefits like “promoting relaxation,” “helping to improve your mood” and “reduced feelings of stress” in food and beverage choices if possible. An indulgent chocolate bar or a relaxing cup of tea may be a start. However, this interest and need presents opportunities in other places, as consumers learn more about the realities of mood, how it relates to their diets and how it can affect how they feel.

Troubled Teens
Stress starts early, so coping mechanisms are learned early on as well. In “Teens from the Top Down,” a 2013 HealthFocus study of 600 teens aged 15-17, stress was the number one health concern, with 51% extremely or very concerned about it; depression was the sixth highest concern at 42%. These numbers were driven mostly by girls and the numbers climbed with age, leaving the 17-year-olds much more susceptible.

What’s changed about being a teen today that has caused so many to be stressed out? One thing may be the more open availability of information within the family structure that didn’t previously exist. A full 58% of teens in the HealthFocus study were worried about their parents’ financial condition.

In the past, we could argue that many teens weren’t even aware of their parents’ financial condition. Those living with one parent, not two, were more likely to be concerned; 35% of children were estimated to live in single parent households in 2013.

And while the economy has improved since the study was conducted, the realities of youth unemployment and single parent families has not. The youth unemployment rate remains at 12.3%, more than two times the overall unemployment rate. Kids are not only worried about their parents’ finances, they’re worried about getting their own jobs when they get older.

Not to paint too bleak a picture, 74% of teens said they had a positive outlook on the future in spite of their concerns. But stress is a significant issue and it begins at an early age. 

Quality of Life Concerns
More than 40% of shoppers in the HealthFocus U.S. Trend Survey, which explored 43 possible need states, were affected by stress and tiredness. Additionally, more than 40% of respondents were extremely interested in “reducing feelings of stress” as a benefit. When asked about their quality of life, most people rated it as a seven or above on a scale of one to 10, so we are not seeing a majority of people walking around in abject misery.

However, when asked how to improve their quality of life, the most common responses were more money and less stress. In terms of mood enhancement, there are a number of places to look depending on the needs of the consumer, but stress (and the fallout from stress) is a very good place to start. Even a recent HealthFocus Study on energy showed that people don’t need more energy to be in a better mood, because they just want to feel better.