96% of Canadians have a gut health score below 50% according to a new study from the probiotic yogurt pioneer Activia. Moreover, over half (56%) experience symptoms of gut upset such as bloating more than once each week, rising to almost two in three women (64%) and 64% of those aged 18-34.
New research led by Activia reveals that many Canadians lack understanding about the impact of gut health on overall well-being, despite 60% of Canadians regularly thinking about their overall physical well-being and 53% regularly considering their mental well-being.
Two in five (43%) want to improve their gut health but don’t know how, rising to over half (52%) of those aged 18 to 34. Additionally, more than half (57%) believe they would have better gut well-being if they knew how to improve it.
Despite this lack of education and understanding, the majority of Canadians are conscious of making choices to help their gut health, with 93% considering gut well-being when choosing what foods to eat.
In response to the consumer demand for clarity around tangible actions that can improve gut health, Activia has today launched the Gut Health Challenge which aims to promote education on how to take care of the gut. This includes the Gut Health Tracker, a free tool on Activia’s website that asks 29 questions around the four lifestyle habits that affect gut health: diet, sleep patterns, stress levels and exercise habits, and provides a personalized percentage score out of 100. Moreover, the tool provides expertly curated advice based in scientific research on maintaining or improving this gut health score over time – essential for the 96% of Canadians with a gut health score below 50%.
Knowledge of dietary choices that affect gut health
With dietary choices affecting gut health, 93% often consider gut health when choosing what to eat. 79% of Canadians say they eat a colourful diet including fruits and vegetables of many colours, which is important for good gut health. Moreover, 35% could correctly identify yogurt with berries and nuts as a good snack for gut health.
The advice provided by the Gut Health Tracker includes information on dietary habits which contribute to gut health, such as pairing fibre-based foods with protein food each time you snack to improve fibre intake. For example, you can pair an Activia yogurt with a piece of fruit and a few nuts, slice an apple and have it with crunchy nut butter, or pair hummus with whole grain seeded crackers or veggie sticks.
The role of a colourful diet plays in maintaining good gut health
Considering the importance of nutrition to maintain good gut health, just one in four (26%) say they have a colourful diet most of the time, with 15% saying they don’t have a colourful diet but would like to. Two in three (66%) eat fermented foods on a weekly basis, a number slightly higher for women (68%) compared to men (64%).
The vital importance of sleep habits for gut health
Despite being knowledgeable about the impact of diet on gut health, when it comes to wider holistic factors such as sleep Canadians have a long way to go – with just 34% rating their sleep as ‘good’ over the past month. The Gut Health Tracker delivers simple tips that can be easily inserted into daily routines, to help people take small steps towards implementing positive changes for their gut health.
Consumer understanding of how physical activity impacts gut health
Recognizing the significant role of physical activity in promoting gut health, 60% of Canadians are aware of the beneficial link between yoga and improved gut health. Moreover, 92% of individuals engage in regular moderate cardiovascular exercise, and 89% of those prefer to exercise outdoors, which is known to further enhance gut health.
Stress-reducing hobbies can help improve gut health
Meanwhile, 64% of Canadians have a hobby, rising to 68% of those age 35-54 with 75% aware that stress-reducing hobbies such as singing or cycling can also positively affect gut health.
Activia Gut Health Program & Challenge
“With Activia, we aim to tackle the growing volume of confusing information about gut health. Canadians want clarity on the tangible steps they can take to support gut well-being and track their progress – which has proven so important to one’s overall health. We feel it is our responsibility as leaders in this space to launch informative and innovative tools like this for Canadians on how they can continue improving their health through food and showing the power of yogurt. ” says Éric Maffert, Senior Marketing Director of Yogurt Category at Danone Canada.
“We encourage all Canadians to use the Gut Health Tracker to calculate their starting gut health score, follow the simple actionable advice provided and come back to the Tracker regularly to measure how their score improves over time.” he continues.
“In an era of overwhelming nutrition and wellness information, it’s easy to feel like we must do it all for optimal gut health, however, as a Registered Dietitian, I firmly believe that it’s the return to basics that yields the most significant health impacts,” says Andrea Hardy, Canada’s Gut Health Expert. “Activia’s Gut Health Challenge and Tracker simplifies this process for Canadians, transforming the basics into measurable, meaningful steps toward achieving digestive well-being.”
The launch of the Gut Health Challenge and Tracker follows Activia’s recent unveiling of a new approach to drive education on gut health to encourage healthy habits. This included a new Gut Health Challenge campaign aimed at building a good gut health routine which includes Activia yogurt.
The Activia Gut Health Tracker can be found at: https://www.activia.ca/en/gut-health-tracker/