FRESH Communications Releases 2023 Trend Predictions in Wellness Journalism

FRESH registered dietitians say media will be all about science, sources, and surprising nutrition facts

BOSTON, Dec. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FRESH Communications, an award winning, woman-owned public relations agency for better-for-you brands, announced today its predictions for wellness media in 2023. Owned and operated by media experts and registered dietitians, the agency is offering a FRESH perspective on how journalism focused on health, food, and lifestyle will evolve in the new year.

Credibility is King

Disingenuous news is on the rise, and journalists are concerned. According to the Pew Research Center, 94% of journalists say misinformation is a significant problem in the US.  Unfortunately, nutrition news is no exception. At the same time, more people are self-educating about their food, where it comes from, and how it interacts with their bodies. While people may learn about nutrition trends on social media, they often turn to traditional news to confirm or debunk those trends.

Journalists understand this responsibility. They also know that registered dietitians are the authority on food and nutrition. According to the 2022 Food & Health Survey by the International Food Information Council, 71% of consumers are confused about what to believe when it comes to nutrition, 28% trust influencers, 31% trust companies, and 66% trust registered dietitians. Therefore, journalists are seeking registered dietitian expertise now more than ever.

"Registered dietitians are becoming one of the most crucial voices in media today," said Stephanie Ferrari, MS, RDN, president and co-founder of FRESH Communications. "Journalists and consumers are demanding more authoritative voices when it comes to nutrition. They are craving clarity around food. As dietitians, we are on a mission to un-muddy the waters with science-based, accurate messaging."

Furthermore, Google's E-A-T algorithm (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) gives SEO priority to health-related articles that include credentialed health professionals as sources. According to Google, "High E-A-T news articles should be produced with journalistic professionalism – they should contain factually accurate content presented in a way that helps users achieve a better understanding." With this in consideration, FRESH Communications predicts that registered dietitians are going to be in high demand for content in 2023.

Food as Medicine…in Surprising Ways

In the new year, we'll see journalists investigate food as medicine on a deeper level. For example, articles about skin ailments will go beyond dermatologists and recommended skin care products. We'll see more articles like this one from Well + Good that explore how probiotic-rich foods can help battle eczema.

Journalists are also going beyond macronutrients. They are considering the connection between wellness and more granular aspects of nutrition such as amino acids, minerals, phytochemicals, and even cannabinoids.

"Journalists are embracing the evolution of science," said Sheri Kasper, RDN, LDN, CEO and co-founder of FRESH Communications. "We're talking to media about the interactions between food and sleep, brain health, gut health, reproductive health…the list goes on!"

"Nourish" is the new "Diet"

Media is growing more savvy about the connection between nutrition science and behavioral science. They understand that food restriction can lead to yo-yo dieting which may have unhealthy ramifications. As a result, there has been a shift away from diets and extreme eating plans toward nutrition as part of holistic self-care.

"People don't want to be told what to not to eat," said Kasper. "The minute you're told you can't have a brownie, what do you want? A brownie of course! While some restriction is necessary for certain medical conditions, the general public wants to be told what to add to their diets rather than what to subtract."

FRESH Communications predicts that media will follow suit on this trend. Journalists will focus on "nourishment" rather than "dieting" and produce more content on what to eat rather than what not to eat. Wellness media will explore topics like intuitive eating, performance-based nutrition, and the connection between nutrition and emotional well-being. We may even see more media outlets ban words like "skinny" entirely.

"There is an increased cognizance around how popular media impacts peoples' perceptions of their own bodies and eating habits," said Ferrari. "Journalists are choosing their words carefully when it comes to nutrition advice, so brands seeking earned media coverage should too." 

FRESH Communications is an award winning, women-owned PR and communications agency of media experts and registered dietitians. Founded in 2016, the agency offers better-for-you food, beverage, and lifestyle brands a fresh way of leading PR and communications, focused on credible nutrition expertise and science-based messaging. Through this lens of "wellness marketing," FRESH specializes in public relations, nutrition communications, influencer partnerships, social media management, and content production. FRESH was named a 2022 Best Food & Beverage Marketing Agency by Food Business Review and won a Telly Award for content production in 2019. Learn more at FRESHCommunications.com.

CONTACT:
Stephanie Ferrari, MS, RDN
[email protected]
(617) 529-4168

SOURCE Fresh Communications