China is experiencing a profound demographic shift as its population rapidly ages, prompting food giants and health experts to turn to scientific innovation and precise nutrition to bridge the widening gap between seniors' nutritional needs and their actual consumption. The solution took center stage on Thursday at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 during the launch of the Yili Nutrition and Health Research Center's latest findings and the White Paper on the Health and Nutritional Status of Chinese Adults 2.0.

As the country faces the socioeconomic implications of a growing elderly demographic, industry leaders are framing targeted nutrition as a critical solution. Situ Wenyou, assistant to the president of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, said research shows that daily milk consumption can reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, hypertension and diabetes.

"Dairy products have evolved from basic nutrition to a health guardian across the entire life cycle, playing a significant role in promoting active aging," Situ said during the ceremony.

The company has spent the past decade studying nutritional health in middle-aged and older adults, partnering with Peking University on health surveys across 13 cities. The research underpins strategies for healthy aging and informs product development.

Yet significant hurdles remain. Peking University public health professor Zhang Yumei, who presented the white paper, noted a paradox: while older adults have higher nutritional requirements for dairy, their actual intake declines with age. Conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis are prevalent in this demographic, she said, but awareness of lactose intolerance remains low.

"Older adults may feel discomfort after drinking milk but do not recognize it as lactose intolerance," she said. "They simply stop choosing milk, unaware of alternatives such as lactose-free milk or yogurt."

National Dairy Technology Innovation Center director He Jian addressed the biological roots of the problem, noting that lactose intolerance affects an estimated 70 percent to 80 percent of adults, far higher than the 18 percent who self-report symptoms. While traditional lactose hydrolysis increases sweetness—a drawback for some seniors—emerging technologies now convert lactose into prebiotics, offering a new generation of reduced-sweetness dairy products.

Innovation is also driving broader industrial shifts. At a sub-forum themed "Shaping the future of enterprises through transformation" on Wednesday, Yili senior executive president Liu Chunxi said the dairy sector has moved from extensive to intensive, efficient development, driven by technological breakthroughs. Yili is focusing on germplasm resources, functional milk components and proprietary probiotic strains to secure supply chains.

"We are advancing industrial innovation through technological innovation to achieve high-quality development across the entire industry chain," Liu said, emphasizing stability in supply and industrial chains as vital to national food security.

Industry experts say such advancements—including zero-lactose technology, probiotic applications and the integration of traditional Chinese medicine principles—are laying the groundwork for standardized, high-quality "elderly-friendly" foods.

"Milk is a nearly perfect food," He said. "If we can enable older adults to consume it, their health will improve."