Future Led Nutrition Science

How nutrition science is responding to the needs of ageing populations

The global population is ageing. By 2030, around 1.4 billion people will be over the age of 60. But statistics show that longer lives are not matched by more years spent in good health. Research suggests that as people age, they may struggle to meet key nutritional requirements and that nutritional needs can become more complex in later life. This demographic change is shifting consumer expectations and driving scientific innovation around what people from midlife onwards eat.

Ageing brings many physical and cognitive changes, from the gradual loss of muscle mass, which can reduce strength and mobility, to mild declines in memory and a slowing metabolism.

After midlife, many adults begin to face certain nutrient inadequacies such as not getting enough fibre or vitamin D. Middle-aged adults may face the challenge of juggling multiple responsibilities, from budding careers to social lives and household work, deprioritising nutrient-rich meals as a result. Meanwhile, older adults, some of whom live with chronic diseases and comorbidities, have different nutritional needs at precisely the point when meeting them becomes most difficult.

Nestlé is working to close that gap. Its focus is on exploring the development of nutrient-rich products, which help target the biological mechanisms of ageing including cellular, metabolic and cognitive health, for middle-aged and older adults. Underpinning this work is emerging science that shows that nutrition can have an impact on the pace of biological ageing and that getting the right nutrients earlier in life can be an investment with long-term returns that helps individuals stay biologically younger for longer.

Philipp Gut, adult health research lead at Nestlé Research and Development, spends his days translating the research organisation’s ever-evolving scientific understanding into innovations for Nestlé’s portfolio.

“We look at how nutrition and diet can promote and improve four core pillars of healthier ageing: physical activity, diet and nutrition, high quality sleep, and mental well-being,” says Gut.

A former competitive athlete, Gut still runs through the Swiss mountains and cycles the hill outside Nestlé’s R&D centre in Lausanne. But the focus has shifted beyond physical fitness. “It’s about the nutrition, eating the right foods and overall wellbeing,” he says. “And in a way, it’s like a savings account, what you put in will help you now and in the future when you get older to stay fit and be in better shape.”

Nutrition is one piece of that picture. Through its nutritional portfolio, Nestlé develops food and drink-based products as well as supplements designed to address the specific needs the body develops as it ages.

According to Gut, each product follows a rigorous development process, from concept to market.

“We go from ideas and concepts including testing in rigorous clinical trials,” says Gut. “To this end, we partner with universities, and we see how the solutions can bring novelty and benefits for healthy ageing, then we can translate the insights into products that help meet nutritional goals to support healthier longevity.”

One example is Resource Ultra, it was developed in response to research showing that hospitalised older adults or those living with advanced chronic health conditions are more likely to suffer from malnutrition. This can occur when intake of proteins, total calories and critical nutrients such as vitamin D and B12 is insufficient for muscle mass synthesis, strength and energy. Current recommendations in most countries suggest adults consume around 0.8g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight while newer guidelines recommend higher intakes of 1.2-1.6g protein per kilogram to emphasise the potential to promote muscle mass when combined with exercise such as strength training.

Resource Ultra uses a Nestlé patented technology that enables high concentrations of whey to be heated without affecting texture, an important consideration for those experiencing appetite loss or taste changes with age. This enables the product to provide 32g of protein per 200ml bottle.

As middle-aged adults navigate the demands of midlife, nutrient intake can be neglected.

“As we age the need for calories goes down,” says Gut. “So it becomes important that our diets are rich in key nutrients such as fibre, high quality protein, minerals and vitamins, while also being low calorie.”

The Nestlé Vital range has been designed to address people’s nutritional needs from mid-life onwards. It is the first innovation from Nestlé’s smart ageing programme, which offers consumers expert guidance on adopting small everyday habits related to nutrition, physical activity, sleep and mental well-being. “Nestlé Vital has been designed to be high in protein and fibres and fortified with minerals and vitamins as well as clinically proven bioactives,” says Jelena Bunčic-Markovic, adult nutrition category lead at Nestlé R&D.

The drink comes in two forms: one for the morning and one for the evening. “The morning routine is designed to support strength, energy and focus, while the evening routine promotes better sleep quality* and will support muscle restoration and skin and hair recovery,” says Bunčic-Markovic.

The product is also available in a variety of flavours and can be prepared in multiple ways – for example, with water, in a smoothie or coffee.

“[They] are designed to provide health benefits and address nutritional needs as we age, and they also taste great,” says Bunčic-Markovic. The goal, she adds, is to make healthier longevity simple and accessible with products that taste good and fit into a daily routine without friction.

Nestlé’s efforts also extend to cellular health, which can determine how the cells in your body function, repair themselves, and produce energy. Recent research from Nestlé’s scientists has explored how bioactive supplementation, specifically on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) boosters, can impact people’s cellular energy and gut microbiome. NAD+ is a key co-enzyme that plays a role in keeping the cells in our bodies functioning properly throughout our lives. It is important for energy production, DNA repair and certain cellular functions. However, our NAD+ levels naturally decrease as people age, and low NAD+ levels may lead to specific health conditions. One of the areas impacted by NAD+ is the gut microbiome. Understanding its crucial role in modulating our health as people age, from immunity to neurological function, is a promising avenue to promote healthy aging. Nestlé has developed nutritional supplements containing these NAD+ boosters which are designed to support cellular health and maintain microbiome functions, including Solgar Cellular Nutrition Cellular Energy and Pure Encapsulations NR Longevity.

Nestlé’s scientific efforts also extend to better understanding how to use nutrition to slow the process of biological ageing from midlife onward, providing the right nutrients to help adults live more years free from disease or disability. “At Nestlé, our purpose is to unlock the power of food and beverages to enhance quality of life for everyone today and for generations to come,” says Gut.

As the global population ages, the challenge of delivering adequate nutrition at scale grows with it. Nestlé believes in a response that is grounded in science, built around real nutritional gaps and designed to reach people across life stages, including those with conditions that make eating well harder.

As Bunčic-Markovic says: “While getting old is inevitable, ageing well can be a choice.”

Nestlé Vital is currently only available to purchase in Brazil but a global rollout is planned for 2026.

While the core functional ingredients of Nestlé Vital are designed to be consistent, the specific ingredients and nutritional formulation will likely vary to align with local regulations and consumer preferences.