Danone North America revealed it saw a 50% spike in searches around weight-loss medications tracked during The Big Game (versus pre-game hours) and found that 21% of the overall GLP-1 discussion focused on nutrition-related conversations.
Top nutrition themes included how to reach protein goals, understanding how to reduce sugar cravings and addressing food noise. Danone North America is partnering with registered dietitians (RDs) to offer free nutrition advice and to answer the most frequently asked nutrition questions Americans have about their needs while considering or currently taking these medications throughout the day on Feb. 11.
The Danone Nutrition Group Chat will be hosted on Danone North America's Instagram channel – @danonenorthamerica – from 11AM – 4PM ET. Four RDs with expertise and background in nutrition, health and the evolving weight loss medication space – Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, Amanda Blechman, RD, CDN and Whitney Evans, PhD, RD – will take over the brand's Instagram page and invite consumers to submit their weight loss medication-related nutrition questions, answering the top questions that emerge throughout the day.
They will be able to give tips and advice on how to incorporate the right nutrition into your diet through easy snacks, recipe inspiration and more. This chat is not intended to replace personalized medical advice. Consumers should always consult their healthcare providers for medical advice.
"Registered Dietitians are exceptional sources of knowledge when it comes to supporting people on their GLP-1 journey to address any nutrition challenges and incorporate the food and benefits they need into their daily lives. We know this is top of mind after seeing a 50% spike in conversations surrounding GLP-1s on Sunday night," said Whitney Evans, PhD, RD and Director, Nutrition & Scientific Affairs at Danone North America. "As a company with decades of nutrition science leadership and one of the healthiest and nutrient-dense portfolios, we at Danone believe in the importance of providing people with education, information and empowerment so that they can achieve better health outcomes overall."
A few quick tips include:
- Make the most out of every bite: Prioritize nutrient-dense foods – foods that offer more nutrition per calorie – to ensure you're getting essential nutrients, like protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals, at regular intervals throughout the day.
- Pack in the protein: Getting enough protein is vital to minimizing muscle loss on GLP-1s. Protein is an essential nutrient, meaning that it cannot be made in the body and is needed from the diet.
- Double down on fiber: The recommended daily amount (RDA) for fiber is 28g per day. This number can be difficult for weight loss medication users to reach given their decrease in appetite and food intake.
- Stay hydrated: A side effect of weight loss medications is reduced thirst. In fact, consumer data suggests that 13% of users taking a weight loss medication experience dehydration. Make sure you're drinking water and other low-calorie beverages like tea and coffee or nutrient dense options like low-fat milk, soy milk and protein drinks throughout the day.
