Sarcopenia: Social Listening Research Results

With a growing aging population across the globe – and the consequences that come with it – FrieslandCampina recently undertook research into sarcopenia to discover how well consumers understand the condition and how to tackle it.

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Our findings revealed that the term sarcopenia, or muscle loss, is widely discussed by consumer-facing publications globally, and that protein is recognised as an important tool in preventing and combating it.

But it also shows that while consumers are indeed looking for protein products, they understand less about which sources are best, suggesting there is an opportunity to educate them about the benefits of high protein sources, such as supplements.

Here are a few key findings from our research:

The term ‘sarcopenia’ is well known in some of the world’s biggest markets. It is often mentioned in global consumer media, with the people in the UK being most familiar with it.
The US has less recognition of the term. Words most used together or interchangeably with sarcopenia include ‘muscle weakness’ (49%) and ‘age related muscle problems’ (32%)
The subject of exercise leads most discussions around sarcopenia and age-related muscle loss – 66% of sarcopenia-related articles linked to exercise.
At 44%, protein is the second most popular topic leading discussions around sarcopenia, showing that it is widely understood to be beneficial for the condition
However, there is little understanding of how to obtain protein beyond diet – 59% of articles mentioned protein without advice on how to obtain it, and 38% referenced protein-rich food
Supplements, powders, drinks and other solutions were referred to less than 3% of the time.