Brazil Clinical Nutrition Market Analysis

Brazil Clinical Nutrition Market Executive Summary

The Brazil Clinical Nutrition Market is at around $766.8 Mn in 2023 and is projected to reach $1179 Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.34% during the forecast period 2023-2030.

The use of dietary concepts to promote health and prevent disease in individuals, especially in a healthcare context, is known as clinical nutrition. In order to enhance health outcomes, it entails determining the dietary needs of each patient, developing individualized nutrition programs, and putting evidence-based therapies into practice. Clinical nutrition is largely concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of dietary modifications in patients with long-term illnesses and ailments in the medical field. In this context, "clinical" refers to the treatment of patients, encompassing both inpatients at hospitals and outpatients at clinics and private practices. It mainly encompasses the scientific domains of dietetics and nutrition. In addition, clinical nutrition tries to give patients enough protein, vitamin, and mineral intake in addition to preserving a balanced energy system.

When a problem is referred to as clinical malnutrition, it means that it can be treated with clinical intervention utilizing specific nutrients that are regarded as legitimate pharmaceuticals as opposed to supplements. By giving the body enough supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, clinical nutrition solutions help patients stay healthy and strengthen their metabolic system. Advances in medical research and technology are driving a shift in the clinical nutrition industry. Emerging key themes include the use of bioactive substances, customized nutrition solutions, and inventive formulations. Producers are investing in research and development in order to create goods that meet basic nutritional needs while also offering additional health benefits.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of diabetes in Brazil was 8.5% in 2021, affecting approximately 13.5 Mn adults. The major drivers of Clinical Nutrition industry in Brazil are, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, aging population, increasing awareness of the importance of nutrition for health, product innovations and technological advancements, government initiatives and rising healthcare expenditure, rising incidence of malnutrition especially in paediatric patients.

Some of the major players operating in the Brazil Clinical Nutrition market are Oceandrop, Vitafor, Prodiet Medical Nutrition, Abbott Nutrition, Pfizer Inc, Nestle, Mead Johnson & Company, LLC among others.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Improving Healthcare Infrastructure: Brazil has been investing in improving its healthcare facilities, which has led to the development of oral consumption of nutrition products. This has been a primary factor accelerating the Brazilian clinical nutrition market.

Rising Chronic Diseases: Brazil has seen a rise in the incidence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, which require specialized clinical nutrition for management. According to the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of diabetes in Brazil was 8.5% in 2021, affecting approximately 13.5 Mn adults. Rising prevalence of chronic diseases is boosting the market growth rate.

Government Support: The Brazilian government has announced that 50% of the nutrition policy budget will be allocated to balancing nutrition levels in people, further anticipating the clinical nutrition market growth in the country during a food emergency.

Market Restraints

Regulatory Framework: The regulatory framework in Brazil lacks a distinct category for functional foods, which can create ambiguities and constraints for the clinical nutrition market. The process of registering novel food or nutrition products with health or functional claims can be lengthy and onerous, as it requires a scientific dossier with evidence of health benefits, safety, and quality.

Time and Expense of Registration Process: Due to the time and expense involved in the registration process, functional foods are often launched as ordinary food products without health claims, or bearing only generic healthy-living messages. Health claims may only be made in line with the agency's positive list of standardized functional claims for food ingredients, with no deviation possible in wording or claims.

Economic Instability: Brazil has faced economic challenges in recent years, including a recession in 2014 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These economic woes have affected consumer purchasing power and willingness to invest in clinical nutrition products, posing a restraint to market growth.

Regulatory Landscape and Reimbursement Scenario

Clinical nutrition regulation and reimbursement in Brazil are integrated into the country's unified health system, known as Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), which provides universal healthcare coverage to all Brazilian citizens.

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, ANVISA) is the primary regulatory body responsible for overseeing food, drugs, and medical devices, including those used in clinical nutrition. ANVISA ensures the safety, quality, and efficacy of nutritional products, whether they are classified as foods, supplements, or medical devices. The Ministry of Health (Ministério da Saúde) plays a central role in setting health policies, including those related to nutrition. It works in conjunction with other governmental bodies to develop national health strategies that incorporate nutritional considerations. The Federal Council of Nutritionists (Conselho Federal de Nutricionistas, CFN) regulates the practice of nutrition professionals in Brazil.

Reimbursement for clinical nutrition services in Brazil is primarily through the SUS, which aims to provide free healthcare to all citizens. In practice, however, the system faces challenges due to limited resources and regional disparities. Within the SUS, essential clinical nutrition services are covered, including inpatient nutritional support and some outpatient nutritional counselling. Enteral and parenteral nutrition are generally covered when medically necessary, particularly in hospital settings. The Pharmacy Popular Program (Programa Farmácia Popular) subsidizes certain medications and may include some nutritional supplements, although coverage is limited.

Private health insurance, which a significant portion of the population holds, often provides additional coverage for nutritional services. These plans may offer easier access to specialists and coverage for a wider range of nutritional interventions. However, the extent of coverage can vary widely between different insurance plans. The National Food and Nutrition Policy (Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição, PNAN) guides many of these efforts, aiming to improve the nutritional status of the population through various initiatives.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

Here are some of the major key players in the Brazil Clinical Nutrition Market:

• Vitafor
• Oceandrop
• Prodiet Medical Nutrition
• Gentiva Health Services
• Abbott Nutrition
• Pfizer Inc.
• Danone Nutrica
• Bayer AG
• Nestle
• Mead Johnson & Company, LLC