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There is growing inclination for a healthy lifestyle in the United States. Consumers are increasingly demanding healthier food and beverages, health-friendly activities, and medications in pursuit of good health and fitness.

Food, beverage and retail companies, are therefore in the limelight because of this changing preference and investing in these stocks seems prudent.

Americans are Now More Health-Conscious Than Ever

According to a 2018 Forbes report, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association in 2018 stated that the $30-billion U.S. health and fitness industry is growing 3-4% annually for the past 10 years. In fact, the numbers are growing as millennials are increasingly joining health-friendly activities.

After all, higher stress levels and increasing health insurance costs are the major reasons driving people to stay fit. It is not surprising that many employers now cover costs of fitness studios and health club memberships, urging employees to avail them. Undoubtedly, it costs less to insure healthy people.

Per the Forbes report, about a fifth of American adults have a fitness club membership, and these numbers are expected to rise. Also, the preference for organic food and low-calorie beverages over processed food clearly indicates how careful consumers are about what they eat and drink.

Once consumers tend to eat healthy, they will think of other ways to stay fit, which creates demand for fitness and yoga studios. A record number of people registering to celebrate the fifth International Day of Yoga this year in Washington alone reflects keenness for fitness activities.

Growing Demand for Health-Friendly Products

This growing preference for a fit lifestyle is influencing the products’ marketed today too. Companies are increasingly altering their products to cater to the large segment demanding them.

For example, Coca-Cola KO is gradually reducing sugar levels in its drinks to meet consumers’ changing tastes. The company’s Freestyle machines are also promoting its low and no-calorie drinks. Coca-Cola reportedly removed 425,000 tons of sugar from its products annually in 2017 and 2018, with the help of smaller packaging and new recipes.

The demand for bottled water has risen too, overshadowing demand for carbonated drinks. Per a Beverage Marketing Corporation report, the per capita consumption of bottled water in U.S. was more than 42 gallons last year compared to the 37-gallon average intake of carbonated soft drinks.

Consumer demand for other fitness products such as wearables and fitness apps are on the rise as well. Fitbit, Apple Watch and Garmin have taken the smartwatch market by storm, which is expected to reach $43.8 billion by 2023, per a P&S Market Research report. Demand for athletic wear is growing too with the likes of Nike, Puma and Adidas among industry leaders.