Light meals segment heavy with big hopes for the future

Health-conscious consumers stoke demand for nutritional foods, spawn huge market

Health-and weight-conscious Zou Jing, 44, a college teacher in Wuhan, Hubei province, spends up to 150 yuan ($22.4) on three "light meals" a week.

Zou is among millions of Chinese consumers, especially the younger generation born in the 1990s, who are embracing nutritional lifestyles that are creating high demand, and a big market, for light meals.