The healthcare and wellness industry has faced many challenges in recent years, and 2024 and beyond will be no different.    

Healthcare and wellness brands need to understand consumers’ changing behaviors, needs, and pain points to offer solutions that will keep them ahead of the competition.   

What are the latest consumer trends in health and wellness? With Brandwatch Consumer Research, we analyzed over 195 million online conversations on all things health and wellness to identify the latest trends. 

You might like

The latest consumer trends in health and wellness

What can online conversations tell us about the latest health trends? Find out how consumer behavior has changed and what it means for brands.

1. Consumers switch to dumb phones to fight social media addiction

Social media can be a great place to make connections, but spending too much time on social media can have a negative impact on your wellbeing. More and more people are struggling with their social media use. The number of unique authors talking about social media addiction online increased by 12% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months. 

Consumers are aware that they spend too much time on their smartphones, and for some the solution is to get rid of them and switch to older models without apps and internet access – so-called dumb phones. 

Online conversations about dumb phones are up 25% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months, with mentions from Gen Z increasing at a higher rate than other generations. Consumers say it helps them use social media in moderation, which frees up more time for other things and has a positive impact on their mental health. 

2. Growing awareness for women’s health

More people are talking about women's health, with the number of unique authors discussing it increasing 6% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months. And there are more total discussions about women's bodies and health issues, and women's experiences with the healthcare industry. For example, mentions of endometriosis have increased by 23%.    

The tone of these conversations is overwhelmingly negative, with 89% of sentiment-categorized mentions being negative. The main driver of this negativity is the decline of women's reproductive rights in the US. Other negative topics discussed include negative experiences with medical professionals and the lack of research on women's health. 

3. Consumers take magnesium for better sleep

Whether you are obsessed with sleep like actor Cillian Murphy or the "I can sleep when I die"-type, we all need to sleep and spend a third of our lives doing so. Getting good sleep has an immense impact on our overall wellbeing, but many people struggle to get it and go online to discuss what to do about it.   

In online conversations about sleep, the most frequently mentioned actions for better sleep are watching TV before bed, taking melatonin, meditation, taking magnesium, and reading. 

Taking magnesium for better sleep is trending. Discussions about taking magnesium increased 44% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months. Of all generations, Gen Z is more likely to talk about taking magnesium to improve sleep quality online. 

4. The popularity of run clubs

Run clubs have gained a lot of popularity lately, and more and more people are talking about them online. The number of unique authors mentioning run clubs increased by over 100% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months. 

Run clubs can be a great way to get exercise, but running is not the primary reason people join them. They are looking for ways to make or maintain connections. Whether it is running with friends or meeting new people, the community aspect is the driving force behind why people love run clubs. 

5. Consumers turn to AI to help with self-diagnosis

Consumers are taking matters into their own hands and, with innovation in technology, it's easier than ever to get health-related information.   

Online conversations about self-diagnosis and AI tools have increased by 50% from August 2023 to July 2024 compared to the previous 12 months. While more consumers are turning to AI tools for medical advice, they're not happy with the results. In negative conversations, which account for a whopping 90% of sentiment-categorized mentions, consumers complain about receiving misleading information from AI tools. Others are concerned about the trend toward self-diagnosis without consulting medical professionals. 

The above are just some of the trends we cover in our health and wellness report. Read our new report to learn more about:  

  • The state of online conversations about health 
  • What people are doing to reduce stress  
  • How people feel about AI in healthcare 
  • What's behind the longevity trend 
  • The most popular medical influencers on Instagram 
  • And much more   

Read the report here.