LONDON: A shift toward healthier packaged food products could potentially prevent or delay around 150,000 diet-related deaths each year in the United States, according to a new analysis examining the nutritional profile of products sold by major food and beverage manufacturers.

The analysis examined nearly 10,000 packaged food and beverage products from 24 major companies operating in the U.S. market. Together, these businesses represent an estimated 37% of the country’s packaged food and beverage market by sales value.

Researchers focused on whether companies could improve public health by increasing the proportion of healthier products in their sales. Rather than requiring consumers to completely change their eating habits, the analysis examined what could happen if companies shifted sales toward healthier products that are already available within their product ranges.

The findings suggest that such a change could have a substantial effect on diseases associated with unhealthy diets, including cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The analysis estimated that moving sales toward the healthier half of products within individual food categories could also reduce healthcare costs and help avoid approximately $11.6 billion in lost wages associated with diet-related ill health.

Several categories were identified as having particularly large opportunities for improvement. These include baked goods, sauces and condiments, confectionery, carbonated beverages and savory snacks.

These products are widely consumed, meaning relatively small changes in their nutritional composition or purchasing patterns could potentially have a significant population-level effect.

The analysis also highlighted an important point for food manufacturers: healthier alternatives do not necessarily require the creation of entirely new product categories. Healthier products already exist in many segments, meaning companies could potentially increase their availability, visibility and sales while simultaneously reformulating existing products.

Product reformulation could involve reducing ingredients associated with poorer health outcomes or improving the overall nutritional profile of foods. Changes could also include developing alternatives with better nutritional characteristics while maintaining convenience and affordability for consumers.

The findings place greater attention on the role of food companies in public health. Diet-related illnesses create costs not only for individuals but also for healthcare systems, employers and the wider economy.

Poor dietary patterns are associated with several chronic diseases, making food choices an important component of long-term health. Because packaged foods are a major part of modern diets, changes within the industry could have effects beyond individual consumer decisions.

However, the estimated health benefits represent a modeled scenario rather than a prediction that 150,000 deaths will actually be prevented. The analysis depends on assumptions about consumer purchasing patterns and the health effects associated with shifting consumption toward healthier products.

The findings nevertheless point to a potentially significant opportunity for manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of their portfolios.

For consumers, greater availability of healthier packaged products could make it easier to choose more nutritious options without completely changing shopping habits.

For manufacturers, the issue also presents a business challenge. Companies must balance nutritional improvements with consumer demand, pricing, taste, product development costs and competition.

The study’s findings suggest that changes across several large food categories could collectively produce meaningful public-health benefits.

As governments, healthcare organizations and consumers continue to focus on diet-related diseases, food manufacturers are likely to face increasing pressure to improve the nutritional quality of their products.

The analysis ultimately highlights the potential impact of decisions made within the packaged-food industry. If healthier products gain a larger share of sales, the effects could extend beyond individual shopping choices to broader public-health and economic outcomes.