Maintaining a healthy heart and healthy weight were among the top ranked concerns of aging consumers in India, according to a new survey. While males were more likely to rate ‘healthy heart’ as one of their top three concerns, females were likely to rate ‘maintaining a healthy weight’ as one of their top three concerns.
The survey, conducted by Solae, which is a part of DuPont Nutrition and Health and which develops soya-based ingredients, revealed that among adults aged 35-65, heart health and maintaining an active lifestyle were their top concerns, followed by having a strong immune system and maintaining a healthy weight.
The survey noted that while the three main causes of death are heart disease, cancer and stroke, around 87 per cent of adults in the country were concerned about heart health and 84 per cent listed weight maintenance as a top concern.
Around 78 per cent of those surveyed said that they need to consume more protein as they aged. When it comes to the types of protein that they ingest, 80 per cent preferred to get their protein by consuming foods or beverages that naturally contain it.
Traditional food protein sources such as meat, milk eggs, nuts and beans, dominate protein usage in this segment. While soya has the highest usage among plant proteins commonly used for protein fortification, 85 per cent of those surveyed said they would prefer to get protein from plant sources.
“When you look at the listing of top ranking health concerns, it is clear that soya protein can be a beneficial addition to the diet,” said Ratna Mukherjea, nutrition group lead at Solae.
“Protein can help preserve lean muscle mass and manage weight by promoting satiety,” she added.
In addition, many studies suggest protein consumption should increase as we age to counteract muscle loss and the natural decline in protein utilisation with aging. The survey noted that 90 gm may be the ideal target for aging individuals, with consumption spread out evenly throughout the day.
Solae’s survey was conducted in 13 countries and more than 4,000 adults were interviewed. While there were slight differences in each region, heart health was listed as one of the top two health concerns in more than half of the countries surveyed.