China’s obesity crisis fuels wellness, skincare brands

What happened China‘s obesity crisis is surging, with the number of obese individuals surpassing 112 million in 2023 and forecast to climb to 329 million by 2030. Just over 16% of adults are obese, with rates climbing steadily across all age groups. This public health challenge has triggered profound changes in consumer behavior, sparking opportunities across industries, from food and beverage to beauty and wellness. The growing focus on weight management has reshaped product offerings. Low-calorie meal kits, meal replacement powders, and ketogenic snacks dominate retail shelves, while sugar-free and low-sugar products have become staples in the diets of health-conscious consumers. Established brands like Want Want, Chi Forest, and Quaker Oats are pivoting their portfolios, while newcomers such as Super Zero ride the wave of demand for functional snacks and beverages. Meanwhile, lifestyle brands like Lululemon are capitalizing on urban middle-class body anxieties to build loyal consumer bases, especially among younger demographics. The Jing Take Global pharmaceutical companies are also finding opportunities in this trend. Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug, semaglutide — Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus — became a blockbuster product in 2023, briefly making the Danish firm Europe’s most valuable public company, overtaking LVMH. In China, Ozempic was legalized in 2021, while Wegovy and Rybelsus were approved in 2024. Closer to home, Xiaohongshu KOLs are fueling demand for slimming teas like Chi Forest’s corn silk tea and Besunyen‘s fiber-rich blends, underscoring how social platforms shape purchasing habits in China’s wellness economy. Shandong Freda Biotech is breaking ground with a novel approach: skincare solutions targeting the needs of obese individuals — an oftentimes overlooked demographic. The company recently filed a patent for “A prebiotic composition and cosmetic for improving skin conditions of obese individuals” (CN118415944A). Its research links obesity to microbiome changes that affect skin hydration, oil production, and pigmentation. Freda’s solution rebalances these microbiomes to improve skin health while delivering antioxidant benefits. Freda’s innovation marks a significant step in tapping into this nascent market. The company’s established leadership in hyaluronic acid technology and patents for next-generation compounds like silanized hyaluronic acid and recombinant human collagen highlight its ability to commercialize science-backed products. Over the past four years, Freda’s cosmetics revenue has skyrocketed from 220 million RMB (30.4 million) to 2 billion RMB (276 million), supported by its dominance in the hyaluronic acid market. Together with Bloomage Biotech, it controls 80% of the domestic supply and nearly 60% globally. The implications of China’s obesity epidemic extend beyond the healthcare sector. Changing dietary habits and rising interest in wellness have created fertile ground for growth. From 2015 to 2023, China’s sugar-free beverage market experienced consistent growth, expanding from 2.3 billion RMB ($317 million) to 40.2 billion RMB ($5.5 billion). The market size is projected to reach 81.5 billion RMB ($11.2 billion) by 2028. As brands like Freda take aim at underserved consumer segments, the convergence of health, beauty, and wellness is reshaping market dynamics. For companies that can align with these trends, China’s obesity epidemic represents not just a challenge but a significant economic opportunity. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

China’s obesity crisis fuels wellness, skincare brands

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Published January 28, 2025

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China’s obesity crisis fuels wellness, skincare brands