How has tech impacted consumer wellness? How and why do consumers use tech for wellness? Answer these questions and more with this US-focused report. Below, we’ve summarized the core topics covered and provided key insights.
Core Topics Covered
- Wellness areas consumers are focused on improving in the next year.
- Wellness tools consumers are interested in for improving their wellbeing.
- Impact of the loneliness epidemic on consumers’ social health and opportunities for fostering connection.
- The rise of AI tools for managing wellness.
- Longevity and smarter aging.
- Digital health and finding a balance between online and offline.
The Impact of Technology on Wellness
As the variety of tech-based solutions available to manage consumers’ daily health practices increases, it’s becoming clearer that tech is playing a pivotal role in wellness. With 50% of consumers agreeing that technological innovations support their overall wellness, this raises the question of whether this is a positive or negative change.
On one hand, over-reliance on tech can affect human connection. Alternatively, there’s potential for honing into a deeper understanding of health and wellness needs. Advancing further means enabling consumers to discover their own definition of wellness in the context of technology.
Tech and Wellness Consumer Facts
Desired wellness tech
With the increasing number of wellness tech tools available to consumers, preferences come into play. Over two in five are looking for a wearable activity tracker or smartwatch when it comes to physical wellness. For mental wellbeing, apps for virtual therapy leads the desired wellness tech options. Whether enhancing physical or mental wellness, privacy becomes an important consideration, if not a hurdle for many—not to be overlooked.
Online communities draw younger audiences
While the use of online community groups peaks among those aged 25-34, interest in joining online communities is more evenly distributed. In fact, 18-24 year old consumers peak for interest at 40%. This is an indicator of the potential for future growth here.
Expert Analysis
Industry analyst Jason Praw delivers critical insights on tech in wellness with this in-depth report.
Consumers’ view of their wellbeing can feel disconnected from technology, but it is becoming vital to how they approach wellness.
Jason Praw
Head of Canadian Research
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- What consumers want and why
- Market predictions
- Opportunities
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Consumer insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Areas of focus
- Role of technology in wellness
- The total wellness blueprint
- Health focus shifts with age
- Graph 1: general areas of wellness focused on improving in the next 12 months, by age, 2024
- Tailoring wellness strategies for Hispanic and Black consumers
- Graph 2: general areas of wellness focused on improving in the next 12 months, by race, 2024
- Fitness and diet lead as top areas of focus for achieving physical wellness
- Graph 3: specific areas of wellness focused on improving in the next 12 months, 2024
- Gender differences in wellbeing goals
- Graph 4: specific areas of wellness focused on improving in the next 12 months, by gender, 2024
- The emotional burden of multicultural consumers
- Graph 5: specific areas of wellness focused on improving in the next 12 months (select), by race, 2024
- Apps and games as accessible therapeutic aids
- Graph 6: currently use mental health apps/games…, by race, 2024
- Graph 7: interest in mental health apps/games…, by race, 2024
- Wellness toolkit
- Desired tools for tackling physical wellbeing
- Graph 8: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for general physical wellness, 2024
- Track it or hack it
- Graph 9: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for general physical wellness (select), by gender, 2024
- AI adoption as a physical wellness tool is strongest among men
- Graph 10: currently use AI tools to provide…, by gender, 2024
- Desired tools for managing mental wellbeing
- Graph 11: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for mental/social wellness, 2024
- The age of digital emotional support
- Graph 12: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for mental/social wellness, by age, 2024
- Robots and real feelings: AI bridges the mental health gap for men
- Graph 13: used or interested in using AI-based mental health care, by age and gender, 2024
- Desired tools for understanding metabolic and dietary wellbeing
- Graph 14: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for dietary/metabolic wellness, 2024
- Metabolic health management is also a men’s issue
- Graph 15: tech-based solutions used or interested in using for dietary/metabolic wellness, by gender, 2024
- Noom Med blends telehealth with Noom’s proprietary psychologically-aware curriculum, providing users with tailored care plans for weight loss
- Impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing outlook
- Wellness rebound: Millennials lead the charge
- Parental control in a post-pandemic world
- Graph 16: technology helps me feel more prepared for the future (% agree), by parental status, 2024
- Hybrid workers’ productivity app usage highlights importance of mental health support in remote work settings
- Graph 17: usage and interest in mental health apps/games to help with focus or productivity, by employment status, 2024
- Social health as a new workplace perk
- Loneliness: the new epidemic
- A public health crisis
- Digital communities attract young consumers
- Graph 18: interest or usage of online community groups, by age, 2024
- Hispanic and LGBT+ consumers welcome online communities and virtual support networks
- Graph 19: interest or usage of online community groups, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ consumers vs overall, 2024
- Friendship emerges as a new dimension of fitness and wellbeing
- Graph 20: focused on improving social wellness, by age and gender, 2024
- Men want to connect, but may need reminders to do so
- Graph 21: used or interest in apps to remind users to check in with friends or family, by age and gender, 2024
- Social media users & social health
- Graph 22: social media helps me feel less lonely (% any agree), by age and gender, 2024
- (Re)defining wellness
- Metrics, not mind reading
- Graph 23: I find “wellness” to be unclear or undefined when used in health and lifestyle contexts (% any agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Wellness in the age of ambiguity
- At-home testing paves the way for specific guidance
- Consumers welcome shortcuts for their wellness journeys, but still want to feel accomplished
- Graph 24: attitudes toward technology and wellness (% any agree), by age, 2024
- VR, AR, and MR: game changers for the fitness landscape
- Revolutionizing outpatient therapy with Apple’s Vision Pro
- Gym meets play
- Graph 25: interest in technology for physical wellbeing, by age, 2024
- Diverse gyms, diverse gains
- Graph 26: interest in technology for physical wellbeing, by race, 2024
- Spotlight on longevity
- An aging population keeps physical wellbeing top of mind
- Graph 27: consumers focused on physical wellness, by generation, 2024
- Blue Zones spark interest in healthy aging
- Mintel Trend: Thriving With Age
- What’s your true age?
- Technology as an extension of healthcare
- Wellness tech over traditional healthcare solutions
- Confidence gap: men’s confidence outpaces women’s
- Graph 28: using technology to optimize my life helps me feel in control (% any agree), by age and gender, 2024
- Mintel Trend: Life Hacking
- Virtual therapy apps gain credibility as an at-home treatment option
- Multicultural consumers most open to support
- Graph 29: desired support for physical and mental health, by race, 2024
- Visual cues…
- …transcend beyond language barriers
- Graph 30: interest or use of blood sugar monitors, by race, 2024
- Digital detox
- Seamless connectivity and its implications
- Overcoming screen time stigma
- Unplug to recharge
- Finding encouragement and support through social media figures
- Graph 31: social media personalities inspire me to make positive changes in my life (% agree), 2022 vs 2024
- New nostalgia
- Graph 32: the fast pace of technological innovation encourages me to embrace analog technology (% any agree), by generation, 2024
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Competitive Strategies
- Marketing and advertising
- Keep your streak going
- The Streaking App rewards consistency
- Home workouts get an upgrade
- Les Mills keeps up with the mixed reality gym
- Entice consumers with strategic discounts
- Trade up for at-home smart tech
- Opportunities
- Privacy, period
- Pair the physical and the digital
- Reward everyday wins
- Leverage AI as a knowledge base
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Appendix
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer research questions
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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