Parental nutrition knowledge gaps may influence purchasing habits
The German multinational company conducted a global survey across 10 countries, gathering insights from 8,500 individuals of childbearing age, those planning for a baby, already pregnant or breastfeeding.
The research aimed to explore consumer awareness, beliefs and practices around the “first 1,000 days” in a child’s development, with results highlighting significant gaps in knowledge around parental nutrition's impact on early childhood development.
For instance, 60% of respondents reported not realizing that parental nutrition affects a baby’s growth during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and 55% reported never receiving guidance on essential dietary changes. Additionally, 75% were unaware of the role a father’s diet plays in sperm quality, and 46% incorrectly believed that only women need to prepare their bodies for conception.
Nearly half the participants (48%) expressed a desire for more advice from healthcare professionals on diet and lifestyle modifications, and 51% indicated they would improve their diets after learning more about the first 1,000 days, showing the potential for positive change through increased awareness and support.
Euromonitor International data shared with NutraIngredients suggests a trend towards increased consumer focus on prenatal health in a global pregnancy multivitamins market has grown from close to US $1.2 billion in 2019 to over $1.6 billion in 2024.
Trends in maternal supplements
A recent population-representative survey conducted in Vancouver, Canada, examined dietary supplement use among 500 individuals who were either pregnant or trying to conceive.
Results showed that 90% of participants took prenatal multivitamins on a daily basis, mostly meeting recommended intakes for many vitamins and minerals through supplementation, except for calcium, magnesium and choline, which remained below perinatal recommendations.
Specifically, supplement doses for calcium, magnesium and choline were substantially lower than recommended, suggesting potential gaps in these nutrients.
In contrast, the researchers found that folate supplementation was high, with 70% of participants taking doses at or above the tolerable upper intake level of 1,000 µg. Folate supplementation during pregnancy is generally recommended to prevent neural tube defects, but excessive intake can mask vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, raise potential cancer risks, disrupt nutrient balance and interfere with metabolism.
Pediatric supplements outpace maternal multivitamins
According to the Euromonitor International data, pediatric vitamins and dietary supplements have a greater global retail value than maternal multivitamins.
The global market for pediatric vitamins and dietary supplements is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from over $4.7 billion in 2019 to close to $7 billion in 2024, representing a 48% growth.
Asia Pacific is expected to experience the highest growth in absolute terms, with its market expanding from $3 billion in 2019 at a CAGR of 9.4% to over $4.7 billion in 2024, representing a 56.4% increase.
Latin America also shows significant growth, with a projected 46% increase and a 7.9% CAGR from 2019 to 2024, and Australasia is another notable region, with a 44.7% growth rate and a 7.7% CAGR, although its market size is relatively smaller.
Eastern Europe and North America are projected to have modest growth, with CAGRs of 5.6% and 5.7%, respectively, and Western Europe has a moderate growth rate with a projected increase of 35.8% and a 6.3% CAGR.
The slower growth regions include the Middle East and Africa, which have the slowest growth rate at 14.7% and the lowest CAGR at 2.8%.
