Medical Nutrition Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Route of Administration (Oral and Enteral, Parenteral), By Application (Malnutrition, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Diseases, Cancer, Neurological Diseases, Others), By End User (Pediatric, Adult), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 63.91 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	7.81%
Fastest Growing Segment	Oral and Enteral
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 100.35 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Medical Nutrition Market will grow from USD 63.91 Billion in 2025 to USD 100.35 Billion by 2031 at a 7.81% CAGR. Medical nutrition consists of therapeutic products, including enteral and parenteral formulations and oral nutritional supplements, designed to meet the specific dietary requirements of patients with medical conditions under professional supervision. The primary drivers fueling market expansion include the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and a rapidly aging global population that necessitates clinical dietary management. According to the Malnutrition Task Force, in 2025, approximately 1.3 million individuals aged over 65 in the United Kingdom were estimated to be malnourished, illustrating the critical demand for nutritional interventions within the geriatric sector. This demographic pressure creates a sustained need for specialized products to improve patient outcomes and recovery rates.

However, the market confronts a significant obstacle regarding stringent regulatory landscapes and complex reimbursement mechanisms. Manufacturers often encounter difficulties in navigating diverse legal standards and securing financial coverage for their products, which can hinder the introduction of new therapies. These regulatory and economic barriers potentially limit patient access and delay the commercialization of essential nutritional solutions, thereby posing a substantial challenge to the broader market growth.

Key Market Drivers

The escalating prevalence of chronic and metabolic disorders serves as a primary catalyst for the Global Medical Nutrition Market, creating a critical need for disease-specific dietary interventions. As conditions such as diabetes and cancer become more widespread, healthcare providers are increasingly relying on targeted nutritional therapies to manage symptoms and enhance treatment efficacy. This shift drives the development of specialized formulations, such as low-glycemic index products for glycemic control and high-protein supplements for oncology patients preventing cachexia. According to the World Health Organization, May 2025, in the 'World Health Statistics 2025' report, noncommunicable diseases now account for the majority of premature deaths among individuals under the age of 70 globally, underscoring the urgency for integrated nutritional management. This disease burden fosters a sustained demand for long-term therapeutic solutions.

Simultaneously, the rising incidence of clinical malnutrition in hospital settings propels market growth as institutions prioritize nutritional care to reduce economic burdens. Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is linked to delayed recovery and extended lengths of stay, prompting administrators to enforce strict intervention guidelines. According to the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, September 2025, in the 'Malnutrition Awareness Week 2025' campaign resources, untreated malnutrition increases hospital costs by approximately 73% and significantly raises the likelihood of readmission. Consequently, manufacturers are witnessing robust uptake of enteral and parenteral products designed for clinical recovery. According to Danone, October 2025, in the 'Third Quarter 2025 Sales' press release, the adult medical nutrition division recorded double-digit sales growth, reflecting this intensified reliance on therapeutic nutrition to mitigate clinical complications.

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Key Market Challenges

Stringent regulatory landscapes and complex reimbursement mechanisms function as a significant bottleneck to the expansion of the global medical nutrition market. Manufacturers must navigate highly fragmented legal standards where product classifications vary extensively between regions, often blurring the lines between pharmaceuticals and food supplements. This regulatory inconsistency increases compliance costs and prolongs the time required to bring new therapeutic formulations to market, thereby delaying revenue generation and reducing the incentive for innovation.

Furthermore, uncertain reimbursement policies directly restrict market growth by limiting patient access to essential products. Even when clinically validated, many nutritional therapies fail to secure consistent insurance coverage, making them unaffordable for patients and healthcare providers. This economic disconnect prevents the market from fully capitalizing on the urgent demand for malnutrition management. According to the Medical Nutrition International Industry (MNI), in 2025, the estimated economic cost of disease-related malnutrition in Europe stood at €170 billion annually. This substantial figure highlights how administrative and financial barriers effectively block the widespread adoption of necessary nutritional interventions, leaving a massive addressable market untapped and hampering overall industry revenue.

Key Market Trends

The rapid adoption of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management is creating a new sub-category within the medical nutrition market, focusing on preserving lean muscle mass and ensuring micronutrient sufficiency during rapid weight loss. As these medications significantly suppress appetite, patients often struggle to meet daily nutritional requirements, driving demand for high-protein, low-volume oral nutritional supplements (ONS) designed to mitigate sarcopenic obesity. Manufacturers are actively reformulating existing diabetes-specific products to address this dual need for glycemic control and muscle maintenance. According to Abbott, January 2025, in the 'Q4 Momentum Positions Abbott for Strong Growth in 2025' press release, the company's Nutrition segment reported a 7.2% sales increase, driven largely by robust demand for Glucerna and Ensure formulations supporting patients on GLP-1 therapies.

Concurrently, the market is witnessing a structural shift towards plant-based enteral feeding formulas and supplements, driven by patient preference for allergen-free and sustainable ingredients. Historically dominated by milk-protein formulations, the industry is increasingly incorporating hydrolyzed pea and soy proteins to improve gastrointestinal tolerance and align with the clean-label trends prevalent in the broader food and beverage sector. This shift is reshaping portfolios as major players acquire specialized plant-based startups to capture this high-growth demographic. According to Dairy Reporter, October 2025, in the 'Why medical nutrition is Danone's jewel' article, the Specialized Nutrition division, bolstered by recent plant-based investments, grew to account for 33.5% of Danone's total group sales during the first nine months of 2025.

Segmental Insights

Leading market research indicates that the Oral and Enteral segment is the fastest-growing area within the Global Medical Nutrition Market. This upward trajectory is primarily driven by the escalating global burden of chronic diseases and a rapidly aging population requiring long-term nutritional support. Healthcare systems are increasingly favoring these non-invasive administration routes due to their proven cost-efficiency and ease of use in home-care settings compared to parenteral alternatives. Additionally, clinical recommendations from authoritative bodies like the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism advocating for early enteral nutrition have further accelerated this segment's expansion.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the global medical nutrition market, driven by the high prevalence of chronic diseases and a growing aging population requiring specialized dietary support. The region benefits from established healthcare infrastructure and favorable reimbursement policies that ensure widespread patient access to clinical nutrition products. Furthermore, the United States Food and Drug Administration provides clear regulatory frameworks for medical foods, encouraging industry stability and safety compliance. These factors, combined with the strong presence of major manufacturers, reinforce the leadership of North America in the global landscape.

Recent Developments

• In August 2024, Abbott and the American Diabetes Association announced a strategic collaboration to investigate and address the therapeutic role of nutrition in managing diabetes, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction. The partnership focused on consolidating the latest clinical evidence to provide healthcare professionals with practical guidance on the unique nutritional requirements of these patient populations. Through this initiative, the organizations committed to evaluating how diabetes-specific nutrition formulas can improve health outcomes, such as glycemic control, thereby bridging the gap between clinical nutrition research and its practical application in daily patient care.
• In July 2024, Nestlé Health Science launched a new digital platform, GLP-1 Nutrition, designed to support the specific nutritional needs of individuals using weight management medications. The initiative provided consumers with access to expert nutritional guidance and a curated portfolio of science-based products, such as high-protein shakes and supplements, tailored to preserve muscle mass and manage digestive health during treatment. This strategic launch aimed to address the unique physiological changes associated with GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies, ensuring that patients receive adequate nutrition to support long-term health outcomes alongside their medical regimens.
• In May 2024, Danone announced a €70 million investment in its production facility in Steenvoorde, France, to enhance its medical nutrition manufacturing capabilities. The capital injection was designated for the installation of a new production line dedicated to the Nutricia specialized nutrition range, specifically for oral nutritional supplements used in the management of disease-related malnutrition. This expansion was projected to increase the site's annual capacity by approximately 20 million liters, allowing the company to better meet the growing global demand for medical nutrition products driven by aging populations and the rising prevalence of chronic health conditions.
• In May 2024, Baxter International Inc. secured U.S. FDA approval for an expanded indication of its Clinolipid (Lipid Injectable Emulsion) to include pediatric patients, encompassing preterm and term neonates. This regulatory milestone made the proprietary mixed oil lipid emulsion available for use in patients of all ages when oral or enteral nutrition is not possible or sufficient. Clinolipid, which contains a formulation of olive and soybean oils, was previously authorized only for adults. The expansion demonstrated the company's commitment to meeting the diverse nutritional needs of vulnerable patient populations requiring parenteral nutrition therapy.

Key Market Players

• Abbott Nutrition Ltd
• Nestle Health Science SA
• Baxter Healthcare Corp
• B Braun SE
• Danone SA
• Perrigo Co PLC
• Fresenius Kabi AG
• AYMES Nutrition
• Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC
• Ajinomoto Cambrooke Inc.

By Route of Administration	By Application	By End User	By Region
Oral and Enteral Parenteral	Malnutrition Metabolic Disorders Gastrointestinal Diseases Cancer Neurological Diseases Others	Pediatric Adult	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Medical Nutrition Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Medical Nutrition Market, By Route of Administration:

• Oral and Enteral
• Parenteral

• Medical Nutrition Market, By Application:

• Malnutrition
• Metabolic Disorders
• Gastrointestinal Diseases
• Cancer
• Neurological Diseases
• Others

• Medical Nutrition Market, By End User:

• Pediatric
• Adult

• Medical Nutrition Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE