U.S. Weight Loss Market Shrinks by 25% in 2020 with Pandemic, however Rebounds in 2021

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Group of people at the gym exercising on the xtrainer machinesA part of the load loss market was hit exhausting in 2020 because the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing recession pressured the closure of well being golf equipment and plenty of retail weight reduction facilities.

Affected person volumes at hospitals, clinics, and doctor workplaces additionally plummeted. Nevertheless, there have been brilliant spots, particularly: industrial chains that pivoted to digital conferences and drop transport of food plan meals, multi-level entrepreneurs, booming gross sales of frozen food plan dinners, and shelf steady meal replacements

A lot of the decline in 2020 was because of the $20 billion in misplaced income by well being golf equipment and gymnasiums, which have been shuttered because of the pandemic. This phase of the market suffered the most important hit — down 57%.

Prime 5 Issues to Know Concerning the Weight Loss Trade in 2022

  • Market dimension: The worth of the U.S. weight reduction market is estimated to have declined by a historic 25% in 2020, to $58 billion, because of closures of weight reduction facilities and medical packages. Nevertheless, in 2021 the market recovered almost all of that, up 24% to $72.6 billion. The market is forecast to develop 3.6% this 12 months, to $75 billion.
  • Meal replacements (shakes, bars) and OTC urge for food suppressants’ (fat burners): These merchandise had mixed gross sales of $5.3 billion and are forecast to develop by lower than 1% this 12 months, with meal replacements shakes and diet bars faring higher than retail weight reduction dietary supplements/fat burners. These merchandise have largely escaped results of the pandemic attributable to their availability at grocery and comfort shops, MLM channels, and on-line — channels that remained open through the pandemic.
  • Opponents: Revenues of the most important industrial weight reduction suppliers as a gaggle (WW, NutriSystem, Jenny Craig, Medifast, and others) held up effectively in 2020, solely down by 2.3%. Leaders are shifting to hybrid fashions that mix digital/digital and in-person companies, thus necessitating extra funding in expertise. Digital companies are extra worthwhile and people corporations relying primarily on brick & mortar weight reduction facilities face rising prices and pressures.
  • Medical packages: The worth of all medical weight reduction packages fell about 16% in 2020 because of the pandemic, to $7.58 billion. Applications by hospitals, clinics, and MD workplaces have been particularly exhausting hit, down 30%. All segments of the medical market will develop in 2022 and recuperate from depressed 2020 ranges, particularly bariatric surgical procedures and prescription weight problems medication.
  • Dieters: Individuals gained plenty of weight through the pandemic, and at the moment are trying to shed these kilos. Weight reduction suppliers are returning to a brand new normal-— a hybrid mannequin of digital/digital companies and in-person service. People who make investments on this expertise will fare one of the best.

New Weight Loss Trade Analysis

To study extra about this trade, try Marketdata’s new report The U.S. Weight Loss Market: 2022 Standing Report & Forecast, which is now out there on MarketResearch.com. This report presents a wrap-up of 2020 & 2021 efficiency for the U.S. weight reduction market through the COVID-19 pandemic, and a forecast for 2022 and the present “food plan season.”

The report covers well being golf equipment, industrial weight reduction packages, medical weight reduction packages, weight reduction (bariatric) surgical procedure, food plan medication, hospital & clinic chains and MD packages, retail meal alternative & urge for food suppressants, weight reduction apps, food plan mushy drinks & synthetic sweeteners, and frozen food plan dinners and low-calorie meals. 


Concerning the Writer:  John LaRosa is the President of Marketdata LLC and is the creator of 100+ trade and market research. His analysis seems in high media retailers together with ABC, NEWS Reporter, Fox, ForbesUSA At the momentThe Wall Avenue JournalThe New York Instances, and quite a lot of commerce journals. 

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