As stated in their article about potential growth markets, Dr. A Elizabeth Sloan and Dr. Catherine Adams Hutt, from Sloan Trends, Inc., noted that 66 million U.S. adults are trying to lose weight, according to Packaged Facts, while 31.7 million are trying to maintain their weight.

Overall, approximately 30% of the global population is overweight or obese, according to the McKinsey Global Institute, with the global economic impact amounting to roughly $2 trillion annually, or 2.8% of global GDP.

A multitude of factors are involved in weight wellness. Perhaps at the heart of the matter, today’s high-stress culture—where instant gratification is often sought through fatty or sugary foods (which are now conveniently available at the touch of an iPhone app)—has helped obesity balloon to super-sized proportions.

As Barbara Katz, president of HealthFocus International, noted, the issue of weight wellness is a psychological one for many people. “The reasons people eat very often have nothing to do with hunger, so the needs to address go beyond satiety. Half of survey respondents in the HealthFocus weight segmentation study said that nearly every day they eat just because they are in front of the TV. Thirty four percent eat just for something to do and 50% eat something because it looks good. This is nearly every day, not once in a while. In order to change the habit of eating for entertainment, the habit has to be replaced with something else.”

Change can be challenging though. When asked why healthy weight was difficult to maintain, nearly half of survey respondents (44%) said “stress.” As many experts have noted in this issue, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the current public health crisis. Designing personalized solutions for consumers based on demographics, genetic make-up and emotional triggers may be a step in the right direction though.

It will take some heavy lifting to affect real change, including cooperation and communication across disciplines—from the healthcare community, industry and government. For its part, the nutraceuticals industry can continue to develop and deliver safe, quality, efficacious products, while also ensuring companies that don’t are held accountable.