Technogym, the maker of fitness equipment, commissioned a nationwide study that found just 52 percent of Millennials rate their overall level of wellness as ‘good’ or ‘excellent.’
The study, “The Wellness Deficit: Millennials and Health in America,” looked at the health and fitness habits and attitudes of 5,000 Millennials, aged 14 to 34.
Key findings from the study include:
Wellness Mindset
Both physical health (75 percent) and body image (70 percent) are felt
to be important to overall wellbeing yet only 47 percent are satisfied
with their physical health and body image
Just half (52 percent) rate their level of wellness as either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’
62 percent believe the trend of fitness selfies on social media puts unrealistic pressure on young people
56 percent feel more stressed/anxious now than they did 12 months ago
Barriers preventing Millennials from exercising include being too busy (50 percent), and lack of motivation (35 percent)
90 percent of Millennials typically exercise on average of 4 hours each week, but like to spend 6 hours
Millennial Preferences
65 percent think it is important to track and monitor their fitness progress
The benefits of mobile technology include tracking progress wherever
and whenever (72 percent), tracking progress in one place (48 percent)
and accurate data (43 percent) with 29 percent believing that it is
easy to share progress with friends and family
39 percent like to share results of their workout with their friends through social media
The use of mobile app technology is set to rise from 56 percent to 74
percent by 2016, with 40 percent planning to use wearable technology for
fitness purposes
The benefits of group exercise include
increased motivation (70 percent), more enjoyable sessions (65 percent)
and an opportunity to catch up with friends (48 percent)
69 percent believe physical competitions are a good way to keep fit while socializing
44 percent of Millennials believe the traditional gym as we know it
today, will evolve by 2020 the gym of the future is seen as relaxed,
interactive, customized and fun.
77 percent would like their workout at the gym to be as interactive and fun as possible
77 percent think the gym experience should be personalized to meet individual goals
Health blogs (38 percent), friends & family (32 percent), health
mobile apps (31 percent) and health magazines (31 percent) are set to be
the main sources of information on health trends in 2016
The study found Millennials today
would like to exercise more frequently, but state they are often too
busy and unable to properly devote the time needed. As a result of
this, there is a growing Wellness Deficit emerging among Millennials,
primarily driven by financial insecurity, poor health and concerns over
their appearance. Struggling to devote time to exercise, Millennials
are generally looking to adopt short and sharp exercise formats that fit
into their everyday busy schedules.
The study provides insight into how Millennials’ habits can impact the health and fitness industry, including indications that social media has the power to motivate people to work out more frequently. Technology in general, and interaction via mobile in particular, becomes a central theme in overcoming the wellness deficit, and helping Millennials become more confident, connected and in control when it comes to their wellness and fitness regimens.
With obesity levels on the rise and increased accessibility of choices and information around health and fitness, wellness has reached an interesting crossroads. Nearly 90 percent of Millennials are aware of the obesity epidemic and feel something should be done to address it. Millennials are self-conscious about their own body images, with 62 percent worried about being or becoming obese in the future. Millennials represent the future of wellness and their choices will ultimately determine how wellness in the US evolves over the next 10 to 20 years and beyond.
Millennials recognize the importance of wellness and the factors that contribute to a state of wellbeing. The key benefits of physical activity include improved health and fitness levels, reduced weight and lowered stress. Yet this recognition is not translating into behaviors that serve to actually enhance wellness.
“Closing the wellness deficit must be a priority not only for individuals but for entities with a stake in the wellness of the next generation, whether this be government, education or business,” said Nerio Alessandri, President and Founder, Technogym. “At Technogym we have focused on providing innovative products and technologies, and emphasizing the social aspect of wellness and sport to keep people engaged, and we will continue to evolve our offerings in these areas as consumers’ wellness habits change.”
Click here to download a copy of the full report.
