While Black consumers are often optimistic, they also face racial, economic, and health challenges – including higher levels of obesity than the norm. Focusing on wellness and healthy diets could benefit this audience, but solutions aren’t always easy to find – or, in some cases, sought out. Messaging aimed at general audiences can fail to resonate with Black consumers, who are much less focused on body image and instead are far more motivated by health and performance.
Brands in this space need to fully understand this diverse population, so they can provide the right solutions and connect with them through the right channels – all of which can vary based on gender, age and other factors. For example, Black senior women are particularly engaged with wellness and diet and are eager to seek out resources. Younger Black men are far less proactive, making community outreach an important strategy.
This Report looks deeper at the Black community and their relationship with diet, wellness and health, uncovering audience insights and opportunities companies can use to help them thrive.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Key factors driving health and wellness
- Black consumers’ demographic trends
- Black consumers’ strategies and motivations for improving diet and wellness
- Weight management status and approaches to weight loss
- Product ingredients and claims that resonate with this audience
- Attitudes regarding stress and wellness/diet challenges
- Approaches for marketing products and services that improve diet and wellness
Making healthy choices accessible benefits Black consumers and marketers. Understand motivations to provide meaningful support for diet and wellness priorities.
Courtney Rominiyi, Multicultural Consumer Insights Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- Target highly engaged senior women
- Connect where Black consumers find community
- Increasing energy is the best path for reaching Black men
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Black employment holds steady despite economic turmoil – thus far
- Graph 1: labor force participation rate, by Black and total, Jan 2015-Feb 2025
- Graph 2: unemployment rate, by Black and total, Jan 2015-Feb 2025
- Despite lingering gaps, income growth may foster optimism
- Graph 3: median household income (inflation-adjusted dollars), by Black and White alone and total, 2019-23
- Black consumers have faith in the future
- Graph 4: financial outlook for the next 12 months, by Black and White vs all, 2025
- Graph 5: financial situation compared to a year ago, by Black and White vs all, 2025
- Political uncertainties may fuel stress
- Younger consumers most vulnerable to external stressors
- Graph 6: Black consumers’ attitudes toward stress – any agree, by generation, 2024
- Market drivers
- Insurance inequities could limit Black healthcare access
- Graph 7: uninsured rate among people under 65, by Black and White, 2010-23
- COVID worsens comparatively high obesity rates
- Graph 8: obesity rates, by Black and White and total, 2019-23
- Health, not appearance, motivates Black women to lose weight
- More limited access to nutritious food
- Black health concerns go beyond obesity
- Graph 9: select health conditions, by Black consumers vs all, 2023
- Black consumers by the numbers
- The Black audience diversifies
- Graph 10: Black population by racial and ethic identity, in millions, 2021
- Significant changes occurring in a seemingly stable population
- An ageing population – and longer lives
- Graph 11: Black population, by age, 2018-28
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Perceptions of diet and wellness
- Diet and wellness perceptions are evenly spread across satisfaction, a desire for improvement and taking actions to improve
- Strong interconnection between wellness and diet
- Graph 12: perceptions of diet, by perceptions of wellness, 2024
- Graph 13: perceptions of wellness, by perceptions of diet, 2024
- Senior women an important target for diet solutions
- Graph 14: perceptions of diet, by age and gender, 2024
- Potential unmet wellness needs among Black men
- Graph 15: perceptions of wellness, by age and gender, 2024
- Helping Black men ask for and find help
- Wellness focus areas
- Two-thirds of Black consumers are looking to improve their wellness
- Women more engaged with wellness
- Physical wellness important for both men and women
- Graph 16: wellness focus areas over the next 12 months, by gender, 2024
- Focus works for men, holistic approaches for women
- Help younger consumers carve out more time for wellness
- Graph 17: wellness focus areas over the next 12 months, by age and gender, 2024
- Body, soul – and bank account?
- Motivations to improve wellness
- Younger Black adults are focused on mental health/performance
- Graph 18: motivations to improve wellness, by gender, 2024
- Seniors are strongly motivated by health
- Help parents function better
- Graph 19: motivations to improve wellness, by parental status and gender, 2024
- Alex Elle encourages moms to take time to breathe and heal
- Motivations to improve diet
- Energy a primary motivator for men
- Graph 20: motivations to improve diet, by gender, 2024
- Just Move delivers what Black men need
- Leverage specific health concerns to motivate seniors
- Graph 21: motivations to improve diet, by generation, 2024
- Weight management status and methods
- Lower participation in weight loss, due in part to Black men
- Graph 22: weight management status, by Black consumers vs all, 2024
- Overweight Black consumers are less likely to pursue weight loss
- Black consumers stick to the basics – but would welcome more support
- Black consumers rely on diet and exercise…
- Graph 23: weight management methods, 2024
- Black consumers’ weight management methods trend similarly to all consumers
- Graph 24: current methods of weight management, by Black consumers vs all, 2024
- Low interest in GLPs – or low access?
- Desired attributes in food/drink
- Natural, BFY and no added sugar lead Black consumers’ product preferences
- Graph 25: attributes sought in food/drink in the past 12 months, by gender, 2024
- An important way to market food and beverage to Black audiences
- Added vitamins could resonate with younger consumers
- Graph 26: ingredients sought in food/drink in the past 12 months – select items, by generation, 2024
- Desired claims in food/drink
- Credible, concrete claims will drive purchases
- Give Black women solutions for controlling their weight
- Graph 27: desired claims/product qualities in food/drink, by gender, 2024
- Broaden reach with a hybrid or targeted approach
- Target Baby Boomers with low sugar/salt, Gen Z with transparency
- Graph 28: desired claims/product qualities in food/drink, by generation, 2024
- Focus on direct health benefits for the diet-motivated
- Graph 29: desired claims/product qualities in food/drink, by interest in improving diet, 2024
- Pipcorn puts claims front and center
- Attitudes towards food purchasing and diet/wellness challenges
- Despite some skepticism, labels do matter
- Graph 30: attitudes toward shopping for food and drink (any agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Highlight ingredients and the environment for parents
- Graph 31: attitudes toward shopping for food and drink, by parental status and gender, 2024
- Partake puts ingredients front and center
- Young women need more support to stay well and fit
- Graph 32: attitudes toward challenges to diet and wellness, by age and gender, 2024
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MARKETING STRATEGIES AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
- Marketing strategies
- Trend Driver: Wellbeing
- BWHI takes a holistic approach to health
- Position meal delivery as a healthy, time-saving solution
- hims frames weight loss struggles as oppression
- A Dozen Cousins embraces Black diversity
- Future opportunities
- A wild card is dealt at HHS
- Back to the future with urban farms?
- Use tech tools to help women get a break
- Connect with Black men where they are
- Faith can be a way forward for seniors
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer research questions
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Appendix – consumer
- Perceptions of diet, wellness and weight management status by BMI
- Graph 33: perceptions of diet and wellness, by BMI, 2024
- Graph 34: weight management status, by BMI, 2024
- Wellness focus areas by age
- Graph 35: wellness focus areas over the next 12 months, by age, 2024
- Wellness focus areas by perception of diet and weight management status
- Graph 36: wellness focus areas over the next 12 months, by weight management status – Index to all Black consumers, 2024
- Graph 37: wellness focus areas over the next 12 months, by perception of diet – Index to all Black consumers, 2024
- Weight management status and BMI
- Graph 38: weight management status, by Black consumers vs all, 2024
- Graph 39: body mass index (self-reported*), by Black consumers vs all, 2024
- Attitudes toward shopping for food and drink
- Graph 40: attitudes toward shopping for food and drink, stressors and challenges to diet and wellness, 20244
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