The millennials have brought yoga, retreats, boutique fitness, avocado toasts, and the whole wellness lifestyle gang to a commercial success. We are credited with driving the $4.2 trillion global wellness market.
But does that mean that we’re ‘healthy enough’? A US study alone says nope. While the research pool of Blue Cross is American millennial-based & until we get more regional studies such as this, it is interesting to learn why wellness pursuits don’t always equal to healthy in a certain context. (The Health of Millennials, Blue Cross, 2019)
According to the report on millennials health trends, while millennials are much more active on pursuits of wellness, they are in worse health than their elders of the Generation X when they were the same age.
From age 21-36, millennials’ health declines at age 27. It’s interesting to note that the majority of the top medical conditions are behavioral health issues such as depression, substance abuse, hyperactivity, alcohol abuse, & psychotic disorders.
The report notes that these behavioral issues are “driven in part by stressors including a divisive political and social climate, financial concerns, and social media. Many millennials also do not see primary care doctors and struggle to pay for health care.”
But, this is where it gets interesting, “Part of the recorded rise in depression among millennials may also be because they are more likely than older generations to talk about and address mental health issues through therapy...which could result in an increase in identifying and diagnosing mental health issues.”
It’s an interesting juxtaposition because, millennials invest in wellness to avoid spending on healthcare. Case in point, you would know where to go for a sound healing session (make it Paus; of course!) but you struggle or have to research high and low to get the best insurance-covered check-up or blood test or maybe even a cervical exam.
Millennials have a strong drive to be physically well as preventative measures but the holistic side of wellness gets affected – quite an oxymoron because wellness is all about the totality of different aspects in one’s life. Why? We have social media to praise and/or blame.
Social media while serving as a rich information hub of all things nutrition, workouts, and so much more also plays a huge role in the negative effects for mental health. 50% of millennials spend more than three hours a day on their phones. (Millennials are Turning 40, But How Healthy are They Really? Sept 2021)
What’s our takeaway? Data is driven by discussions, and even if this results in statistics showing our generation’s unhealthiness, behavioral and mental health issues are inevitably on the rise and therefore should be talked about and dealt with more because this will drive healthcare and wellness industries moves for the future.
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