The Hindu Business Line : Count those calories

With greater emphasis on the need to eat right and stay fit, low-calorie food and health beverages are becoming an integral component of urban lifestyle.

Is the traditional grandma's recipe losing its taste? Food cooked in `pure ghee' may soon become a thing of the past. With changing lifestyle, especially in the metros, more and more individuals are opting for low-calorie foods, if not from new-age health shops, then cooked in their own kitchens.

"The past few years has seen more and more individuals looking for various methods to lose weight," says Dr Kajal Pandya, Slimming Manager, Perfect 10, in Delhi. Commenting on the increasing trend whereby more and more people in urban India are knocking on the doors of slimming centres, she says, "It's not only those who are suffering from genetic disorders, but also those who have landed themselves with weight problems due to poor eating habits."

Industry analysts point out that the reason for the change from traditionally rich Indian food to a low-calorie diet is simple and is related to the sedentary lifestyle adopted by people who live in the cities. Studies conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi have shown that even children in the pre-teen years are suffering from hypertension and obesity. This is due to two reasons — less exercise and the craze for fast food.

As a follow up to one such study, recalls a Delhi-based analyst, the Delhi Government, at one point of time was toying with the idea of banning junk food from school canteens.

"With increasing consumer awareness and demand, today, fast food restaurants are also getting into the salad business. Even the nature of snacks is changing and manufacturers are focussing on low calorie snacks," he points out.

Citing a sedentary city lifestyle as the root cause for this trend, a general practitioner points out, "Earlier there was more physical work. People had to walk a minimum of four kilometres on any given day. There were not that many cars or two wheelers to take you around. But this is not so today. People own their own transport and jump into their vehicles even if they need to reach a destination which is only a short distance away."

Despite the growth in the low calorie food market, Dr Kajal says that not all clients trust the low-calorie foods available in the market.

Concurring with her view, Mrinalini Mitra, Producer, On-air Promotions, Discovery Channel, says, "I believe in exercise rather than opting for these low calorie diets, which I somehow don't trust. Fitness is a very important aspect of my life."

Attributing a reason for this mistrust, Dr. Kajal says, "In India we do not have standardisation for low calorie diets. In fact, at Perfect 10 we chalk out a diet plan for the client from his or her regular diet. We try and modify their regular diet."

On the kind of people who approach their centre for help, she says that apart from diabetics and people suffering from a thyroid disorder, there are also fitness freaks, who come to them.

And thanks to the demand, slimming clinics have become very competitive, with each trying to outdo the other with a unique package. Some of the packages can cost as little as Rs 2500, but those at the upper can relieve your pocket of as much Rs 2.5 lakh.

Touching on another aspect of the service they provide Dr. Kajal says, "Prices alone do not play an all important role, the environment matters. Overweight clients are depressed as it is, and, to top it, if the clinic is not client friendly, it can have an adverse impact. The result could be the clinic losing out on business," she points out.

However, contrary to what some people say, there is a definite market for low calorie and health foods and beverages. This is what has lured companies to introduce low-calorie products. Amit Burman, CEO, Dabur Foods Ltd, which offers Real Activ to such consumers, says, "We did extensive consumer research before launching the product. The research revealed that consumers are concerned about the level of sugar in their diet due to highly sweetened beverages and food products. In the context of juices, they are looking at pure fruit juices, which have no added sugar or preservatives in them."

Real Activ appeals to the health conscious consumer who is looking for 100 per cent preservative free, natural fruit juices with healthy calories. "We have associated the brand with the active and healthy lifestyle of our target segment. The brand communication clearly positions Real Activ as a refreshing beverage that helps you stay active and fresh," he points out. Agreeing that though the market for such products in India is still at a nascent stage, he says that it is experiencing high growth.

Besides, Indians are very price conscious. "But they are willing to pay a premium for a quality health product that has specialised attributes to satisfy their needs. Real Activ priced at Rs 70, has been well received by our target group," adds Burman.

Consumers are very particular about what they buy. In fact, they have increasingly become sticklers for the ingredients label and study it carefully before making a purchase. Says Rajan Sethi, salesman in a grocery shop in Delhi, "Customers now read the fine print regarding calorie and content in products."

Moreover, the kind of space devoted to low calorie food in magazines and newspapers as also the increasing number of books available in the market is a clear indicator that "low-calorie food" is not just a fad but also something that is becoming part of the daily routine.

Though at a nascent stage, the market is larger than a niche market and set to grow into a big industry.

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