Consumers' appetite grows for healthy food, lifestyle

Chinese consumers have become more concerned about healthy lifestyles and eating habits, which also drives the market to shift to those more natural and healthier food products, according to a report by the United Kingdom-based research firm Mintel Group Ltd.

The report said being healthy is the number one priority for urban Chinese consumers. And 98 percent of the surveyed consumers said they planned to eat a healthier diet in 2015, while 97 percent said they want to exercise more.

About 58 percent of those surveyed said in the past year they had started to eat more fruit and vegetables, while 50 percent have cooked at home more in a bid to achieve a healthier diet. But more than two-thirds of respondents admitted that they failed to cut the amount of desserts and snacks they eat.