India, July 17 -- For decades, weight management has traditionally been framed around restriction: eating smaller portions with less calories yielded a lower number on the scale. But that equation is beginning to change. Increasingly, consumers are looking beyond calorie counting and more towards sustained energy, metabolic health and the ability to remain active for longer.

Across Asia, longer lives and a growing interest in preventive health are reshaping what consumers expect from food and nutrition. At the same time, the scale of the weight-management challenge remains substantial: in Southeast Asia alone, it is estimated that more than 52.4 million adults will be living with obesity in the region by 2030[1].

For manufacturers, the ...