What’s fuelling the relentless rise of wellness?

‘Wellness’ is one of those buzzwords that seems to be everywhere in health and fitness marketing today. It describes the state of ‘thriving, not just surviving’ – where you constantly work on optimising your physical, mental, and social well-being, instead of simply maintaining good health.

Detoxing diets, yoga, fitness trackers, mindfulness apps and elaborate skincare routines: all claim to improve our overall wellbeing. This trend has exploded over recent years to become a 5.6 trillion-dollar industry in 2022 – that’s more than three times larger than the worldwide pharmaceutical industry.^1,2 So, what are the reasons behind this growing movement?

‍

Are we living longer, unhealthier lives?

Thanks to medical and public health innovations, we’re living longer lives than ever. But increased life expectancy also means more time to develop diseases associated with ageing, like cancer or dementia.

And while our lives are longer, our lifestyles aren’t necessarily healthier. Health problems like obesity and diabetes are increasing, leaving us at a much higher risk of long-term health problems.

Our mental health has also been deteriorating. Diagnoses of mental health conditions have been rising in the UK, particularly among children and young people.³ The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened this: in 2022, the World Health Organisation estimated that the pandemic had increased anxiety and depression by a massive 25% worldwide.⁴

In the face of these problems, it’s no wonder that people are taking active steps to protect and boost their mental and physical health. “Wellness” was first coined in the 1950s but has gained popularity in recent decades as we become more health-conscious and better informed. As a broad category, wellness can include almost any facet of health and lifestyle outside of traditional healthcare, allowing people to take autonomy over their health while following wider social trends.

The pandemic provided the perfect environment for such wellness habits to flourish. Exercising at home, taking vitamin supplements and practising mindfulness were all easy ways to regain a sense of control in such a scary time – habits that many of us have continued.

Wellness as a social media trend

Social media has played a huge part in the rise in wellness. Platforms like TikTok have empowered people to share their personal stories about keeping fit and optimising their self-care routines. This has also created a wave of ‘wellness influencers,’ social media personalities who share tips and advice with millions of loyal followers.

We tend to trust people we perceive like us,⁵ so influencers are in a unique position to influence people’s health habits. Healthcare professionals have clearly seen the value in this trust. In 2021, 3.8 million HCPs were active on TikTok, using popular trends to disseminate medical information.⁶

The monetisation of social media content also feeds into the wellness trend, as medical and lifestyle influencers can earn a pretty penny from the massive engagement that wellness has amassed. TikTok UK has even launched a dedicated wellness category in their shop, teaming with major supplement brands.

The pressure of appearing perfect on social media may also have a part to play. Instagram and TikTok are full of beautiful-looking people living seemingly perfect lives, effortlessly balancing self-care with busy lives. Consuming this content can feed into perfectionism,⁷ so it’s no wonder the wellness industry has grown given its focus on optimising your physical, aesthetic, and mental health.

What does this rise mean for the public?

In a world of spiking health problems and increased connectivity, we’ve never felt more motivated or able to look after our overall health. But the rise of wellness cannot be separated from our increasingly consumerist world, where brands constantly seek new ways to market their products and services.

This movement is steadily blurring the lines between traditional healthcare, regulated by professionals, and the vaguer wellness category. Prescription skin care treatments, hair loss prevention and weight loss aids are advertised across social media platforms and are available to those who might not need them. Targeting insecurities around our appearance in the social media age is a clever way for brands to ensure this lucrative industry only grows. 

The rise in health and wellness content has also been accompanied by misinformation. Scepticism and conspiracies around “Big Pharma” are increasing on social media – something we saw during the pandemic when vaccine misinformation was rife. However, these factors point to a wider dissatisfaction with traditional medicine – something that healthcare services and pharmaceutical companies cannot ignore in the social age.

Whatever the reason for its rise, wellness is a booming business and highlights the public’s interest in more personal alternatives to standard healthcare services. With the wellness industry forecasted to grow year on year,¹ it’s time we think about how our industries should respond.

References:

1. McGroarty, B. (2023). Statistics & Facts - Global Wellness Institute. Global Wellness Institute. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/press-room/statistics-and-facts/

2. Mikulic, M. (2023, March 27). Pharmaceutical market worldwide revenue 2001-2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/263102/pharmaceutical-market-worldwide-revenue-since-2001/

3. British Medical Association. (2023). Mental health pressures data analysis. The British Medical Association. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/mental-health-pressures-data-analysis

4. World Health Organization. (2022, March2). COVID-19 Pandemic Triggers 25% Increase in Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Worldwide. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide

5. Edelman. (2019, June 18). Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust? Edelman. https://www.edelman.com/research/trust-barometer-special-report-in-brands-we-trust

6. How TikTok is Shaping Healthcare Trends | Everybody. (2024, July 31). Everybody. https://www.everybodyagency.com/en-us/insights/tiktok-healthcare-trends/

7. Harren, N., Walburg, V., & Chabrol, H. (2021). Studying Social Media Burnout and Problematic Social Media use: The implication of perfectionism and meta cognitions. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4, 100117.

‍