Over the past few years, the word ‘wellness‘ has become much more prevalent in society. But is it just another buzzword to do with fad diets and health trends or an essential part of everyday life?
Well, part of the problem is a lack of understanding around what wellness actually means. It’s fair to say that there is not a universally accepted definition. However, when you consider the similar components of each definition, such as making positive choices to live your life to the fullest, it takes on much greater prominence.
Here’s a quick look at the current state of ‘wellness’, with the help of health experts Pharmacyoutlet.
What is wellness?
Gaining a better understanding of what wellness means isn’t something limited to health-conscious individuals – it has also been of prime concern to industry authority figures as well.
“Having been in the health industry for a long time, I have always wondered whether people actually understood the meaning of the word wellness and what that [concept] meant to them,” Monty Sharma, president and CEO of Jenny Craig told FoodNavigator-USA.
In a survey of more than 600 Americans, Jenny Craig – alongside Branded Research – discovered that 39% of people defined wellness as mental health, 32% said it was related to good physical shape, 31% related it to physical activity, and 27% connected it to a healthy diet.
Even so, 43% said they thought it was a buzzword, while 51% of men said they were highly sceptical of the term.
As a result of the findings, Sharma urged health and fitness companies to specifically talk about how their products or services actually help to improve wellness, regardless of whether its for physical, mental, or emotional reasons.
“If you have a lower carbohydrate item that helps reduce sugar, talk about that specifically. If you are eating more functional foods that are increasing your antioxidants, then you should talk specifically about that so that people can connect these dots better.”
How do you improve your wellness?
Connecting the dots between a health product and its real-world benefits is one thing, but actually being able to improve your own well-being is another. Research shows that without the right support, many people struggle to achieve their health and fitness goals.
For example, one in four people who suffer from acute mental health problems in the UK are unable to get the help they need. Findings by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) show that 26% of people who have fallen into a mental health crisis said they didn’t feel they got the help they needed.
“Mental health services are less responsive and care is becoming more disjointed because crucial funding is not reaching the front line,” said Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care.
With more and more health and fitness products advertising wellness, it is easy to assume that the term is a buzzword. But if this is the case, an increasing number of people may struggle to get the help they need to overcome their own physical, mental, or emotional issues. Buzzword or not – the rise of wellness is part of a wider societal trend to take a group of issues more seriously and, however we choose to define this, it’s clear that this trend is an important change to our everyday lives.
