Snaxshot #42: Geriatric Millennials

Avoiding an OPERATION!

Feb 20, 2022

A newsletter on upcoming food and beverage trends that offers a curation of brands and aesthetics written by Andrea Hernández.

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Millennial Middle Age

Half jokingly I talk about how the rise of prebiotic seltzers can be directly correlated to Millennials aging and reaching that “Raisin Bran” era but we obviously needed something cooler than Metamucil. Last year saw the eldest, or geriatric Millennials, turn 40, the reality is that we are aging, and according to studies, we are doing so pretty badly. In the US, almost half of Millennials present a chronic condition, what does their future look like, at a time where we are being sold on Instagrammable health?

The prevalence of these diseases not only affects our health and lifespan, but also our bank accounts. Studies show those with at least one chronic condition spend twice as much on out-of-pocket health-care expenses than those without any medical issues. Those with two concurrent chronic health issues spend FIVE times as much. We also have to take into consideration that post-pandemic will likely result in an influx of diagnoses over the next years.

We are most popularly known as the GOOP generation, our interest in wellness and wanting to undo the indoctrination into unhealthy habits, like say smoking cigarettes, cutting sugar as well as alcohol, has driven a $4.2 trillion global wellness market, stemming from our love of pursuits like yoga, meditation and boutique fitness. So as healthcare costs continue on the rise, is it any wonder that food and beverage have again become more of preventative measures? The rise in “food pharmacies” and interest in holistic medicine comes to no surprise, a sort of return to inherent human knowledge that stems back to the origins of the likes of ancient Chinese medicine and ayurvedic practices.

The old adage says, food is medicine, and thanks to today’s technology, and as we stated last week on our wearables issue, we may just be able to prove that certain foods and habits have a visible impact in our health. It may be that our generation, one battered by economic meltdowns, skyrocketing costs and imploding healthcare infrastructures, that will keep high interest in wellness products, though being repackaged to us in trendy aesthetics and sold to us at a premium, may be our only hope to help keep away from an OPERATION!

By the Numbers

—Older Millennials are seeing dramatic increases in the diagnoses of depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and hyperactivity, among other conditions, according to a new study of medical claims by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index.
—1/3 of Millennials have health conditions that reduce their quality of life and life expectancy, making them more likely than Generation X to be sicker when they’re older.
—Major depression rates increased in Millennials population by 31% from 2014 to 2017, rates of psychotic conditions increased by 15% and rates of substance use disorder rose by 10%.
—Health care treatment costs could rise as much as 33 percent.
—Mortality rates could rise as much as 40 percent.
—Millennials’ annual income may, on average, be reduced by as much as $4,500 per person, as poor health will likely lead to job loss or reduced working hours.