Understanding the Health-Conscious Consumer

One thing is clear in today’s food and nutrition landscape: consumers are thinking more about health, and they’re making decisions accordingly. Over the last four years, the number of Americans who prioritize health and nutrition when choosing food has jumped up, with 78% now saying that healthy eating is a top priority.

This growing segment isn’t just a trend, it’s a paradigm shift. But with increased awareness comes increased complexity. From the algorithm-fueled echo chambers of social media feeds to conflicting expert advice in traditional media and regulatory settings, navigating food and nutrition has become an overwhelming task for many. For food and beverage companies that want to remain relevant among consumers, engaging in nutrition communication and strategy is no longer optional. It’s essential.

From Curiosity to Control: Mapping the Health-Conscious Consumer Journey

Most food and nutrition decisions don’t happen in a straight line. Instead, consumers typically follow a winding journey made up of four key stages:

• Care: A trigger, whether personal, cultural, or medical, sparks concern for health and nutrition
• Confusion: Consumers search for information but are bombarded by contradictory claims and fear-based messaging
• Hypervigilance: As skepticism rises, consumers become more discerning - reading labels, scrutinizing ingredients and weighing their food choices more carefully
• Control: Ultimately, empowered consumers begin to verify nutrition information, consult healthcare professionals, and act with intention in their food and beverage purchases

For food producers, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. With the right nutrition communication strategy, companies can become trusted partners along this path. But first, companies must understand who these health-conscious consumers are, what they prioritize and how they interact with nutrition information and how they take action.

Introducing the Health-Conscious Consumer Segments

Not all health-conscious consumers are created equal though. Based on proprietary research of over 3,000 U.S. adults, Eat Well Global has identified four distinct health-conscious consumer personas:

• Evidence-Led Health Activists – The most engaged segment (55%), they care deeply, double-check claims, and trust science and healthcare professionals.
• Trusting Health Enthusiasts – Motivated by health (21%) but less skeptical, they accept health advice from traditional authorities.
• Independent Science Defiers – A small but vocal minority (2%) that mistrusts science yet still prioritizes health.
• Indifferent Consumers – Roughly 22% are unmoved by nutrition and health, focusing instead on price and taste.

Understanding these unique consumer personas allows brands to tailor messaging, build targeted campaigns, and ultimately drive engagement that resonates.

What’s Next: Seizing the Brand Opportunity

As consumer expectations shift, so too must brand strategies. Companies that succeed will be those who:

• Translate complex nutrition science into concise, accessible messaging for the consumer who is interested and ready to hear them
• Use credible messengers, like registered dietitians, to share messages more clearly and reinforce trust
• Align product development and labeling with consumer health and nutrition values

Done well, these efforts don’t just close the trust gap, they build loyalty that lasts.

Want the Full Picture?

We’ve only scratched the surface here of what we uncovered in this consumer research. To learn more about these health-conscious consumer segments, and how your brand can engage them more effectively, download the full report now.