CHPA Introduces Dietary Supplement Index

New data-driven tool will help CHPA educate stakeholders on the role of dietary supplements in healthcare
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(AVENTURA, Fla. – March 21, 2022) To better see the role of dietary supplements in health and wellness, as well as to analyze and understand trends and changes in the dietary supplements market, CHPA introduced the Dietary Supplement Index (DSX), a new data-driven tool that collates market data, geographic and demographic data, government health and nutrition, and consumer survey data, at its 2022 Self-Care Leadership Summit.

The DSX looks at dietary supplements in primary categories including General Health (Amino/Antioxidant Supplements, Bone & Joint Supplements, Children’s Supplements, Energy Supplements, Herbal Singles A to Z, Organ, Reproductive Supplements, Stress/Anxiety, Superfood & Whole Food Supplements, Multivitamins & Minerals, and Single Letter Vitamins), Brain Health, Digestive Health, Heart Health, Immunity, and Sleep.

Using SPINS, a leading wellness-focused data, analytics and technology provider in the U.S., as its primary source, the DSX is a score reflecting dietary supplement category/subcategory unit sales for a period (quarter/year). The baseline score is “100” for 2019 in each category and subcategory based on pre-pandemic sales.

The DSX score can be calculated at a county, state, or regional level and comparisons can be made across demographics. Changes in the DSX score can be further interpreted by overlaying the DSX with other public data sources from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and others.

This tool will be used to support CHPA in making the case to legislators, health insurers, large employers, and benefits consultants that dietary supplements should be included in healthcare plans. It can also be used to encourage healthcare providers to recommend dietary supplements to patients as part of their regular routine.

“We are excited to launch this new tool as a way for our industry to better understand how sales and use of supplements to maintain health and manage disease is evolving over time, and what could be driving those trends,” said Duffy MacKay, CHPA Senior Vice President, Dietary Supplements. "We believe this tool can help shape the narrative around the value of dietary supplements as we continue to analyze the DSX and underlying factors.”

Dietary Supplement Index Key Findings graphic

An initial analysis of the DSX found that between 2019 and 2021, the overall DSX score increased nationally in every category, but growth was led by sleep, immunity, and brain health. During the global pandemic, consumers initially focused on immunity to help themselves stay healthy during COVID-19. But as more variants emerged in 2021, consumer interest shifted to brain and sleep supplements to address stress resulting from the ongoing pandemic, while immunity supplements fell slightly.

The spike in immunity and brain products mirrors two significant trends: increased public attention to COVID-19, increased public anxiety about the economy, and complications from work-at-home requirements. Those hardest hit by these were working-age adults, especially those in urban settings.

CHPA will develop targeted reports to enhance stakeholder conversations and increase the credibility and visibility of supplements as part of the future of healthcare.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), founded in 1881, is the national trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers of consumer healthcare products, including over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, dietary supplements, and consumer medical devices. CHPA is committed to empowering self-care by ensuring that Americans have access to products they can count on to be reliable, affordable, and convenient, while also delivering new and better ways to get and stay healthy. Visit www.chpa.org.