The $1 Trillion Women’s Health Opportunity for the Food Industry

McKinsey’s report “Closing the Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies” caught my attention, and it made me reflect on how the food industry plays a key role in this conversation.

One example is L.E.A. (Low Energy Availability), a condition that occurs when energy intake doesn’t meet energy expenditure. It’s surprisingly common, especially among women, and can lead to hormonal imbalances, reduced bone density, impaired performance, weakened immunity, and psychological stress.

Women’s physiology makes this even more complex. Our hormonal cycles, energy needs, and recovery patterns fluctuate throughout the month, yet most nutrition advice, labels, and even product development ignore these biological differences.

While obesity remains one of the most prevalent metabolic disorders, most public health messaging and food labeling focus almost exclusively on it. But as members of the food industry, we should also acknowledge and address other disordered eating patterns such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa, conditions that are often overlooked but deeply influenced by cultural and industry narratives.

In our attempt to tackle obesity rates, we’ve unintentionally created a culture that equates:

Skinny = healthy

Less calories = better

Eat less and move more

And we’ve turned medical treatments into diet trends like the ketogenic diet or GLP-1 medications, often without proper context or scientific understanding. This can be harmful, especially for vulnerable consumers who may not have the information or support to interpret these messages safely.

So what can we do?

Consumer education at scale is challenging since our nutritional needs, beliefs, and circumstances vary widely. But I believe it requires collective accountability from the food industry, health systems, and even influencers in the wellness space.

CPG companies are already innovating in the health and wellness space, which is promising. But innovation can also start with the simplest actions, such as reevaluating product claims and marketing strategies. Words matter, and so does how we use them.

We can begin by being more responsible with our language and messaging, avoiding simplistic “good vs. bad” food narratives and focusing instead on terms like “more nutritious” or “less nutritious.” It’s about being more responsible, more human, and recognizing that behind every consumer there’s a person, not a data point.

Closing the women’s health gap isn’t just about medicine; it’s also about rethinking how we talk about and design food.