Health and wellness may be top of mind to most Filipino millennials and GenZs, but actually doing something about it is another matter, insurance company Manulife Philippines said yesterday.
Unveiling the result of its “#FYP: Future-proofing Young Pinoys: Examining Health and Longevity Perspectives, Sentiments, and Aspirations of Millennials and GenZs” survey, Manulife in a statement, said that while 83 percent of young respondents have good knowledge about health and wellness, only 76 percent say they are taking sufficient action to practice healthy habits consistently.
The survey was conducted among 500 respondents across the Philippines.
“With a median age of 26.1, the Philippines has one of the youngest populations in Asia,” Rahul Hora, Manulife Philippines chief executive officer (CEO) and president, said.
Real barriers
“Our latest study highlights the need to support younger generations in translating their health, wellness, and longevity aspirations into meaningful action,” he said. “ We found that millennials and Gen Zs are motivated to live healthier lives, but barriers like stress, excessive screen time, and sleep deprivation, among many others are holding them back from achieving this goal. ”
Hora said that the survey found that millennials and Gen Zs are not short of motivation to pursue their health and wellness goals, noting that while 64 percent said they are pursuing health to avoid getting sick, and 44 percent said they want to minimize potential medical expenses, many are equally driven by their personal well-being and self-image about feeling and looking good.
He pointed out that 44 percent said they want to look good or fit, and 43 percent said they want to look youthful.
“Younger Filipinos, especially women, are also putting more focus on healthspan, or the number of the years we live healthily, over lifespan,” said Hora.
According to the survey, 60 percent of female respondents prefer to prolong their healthspans, while 53 percent of males prefer to prolong their lifespans.
The survey also revealed that many young Filipinos find it difficult to consistently maintain healthy sleeping habits (20 percent), achieve work-life balance (19 percent), and follow a balanced diet (15 percent).
Women report a larger gap in achieving work-life balance at 22 percent, compared to the 15 percent gap among men, it showed.
Stress, meanwhile, is the most prominent barrier to wellness, affecting 64 percent of respondents.
‘Bedrotting, ‘doomscrolling’
“Millennials report higher stress levels than Gen Zs (69 percent vs. 58 percent), and women are more affected than men (73 percent vs. 55 percent). Notably, 76 percent of millennial women say stress prevents them from pursuing their desired wellbeing—the highest among all generational and gender groups,” according to Hora.
At the same time, modern lifestyle habits further compound these issues, with excessive screen time eimpacting 48 percent and sleep deprivation affecting 45 percent of young Filipinos, he said.
“Trends such as ‘bedrotting’ and ‘doomscrolling’ reflect how contemporary behaviors are undermining their wellness goals,” Hora aded.
Now the good news: the study showed that 96 percent of millennials and Gen Zs surveyed believe aging is a natural process that should be embraced with positivity, while 91 percent of the respondents believe that living a meaningful life is more important than living a long one.
About 83 percent of respondents meanwhile believe that living independently and being able to do things that matter most to them is more important than being illness-free.
“Millennials surveyed focus more on physical health and family relationships as they age. Gen Zs, on the other hand, lean toward self-discovery, purpose, and making an impact. Only 13 percent of both generations consider maximizing lifespan as a top priority, with men showing slightly higher interest (17 percent) compared to women (8 percent),” Hora said.
Aging not a decline
Hora said the findings reveal that young Filipinos see aging not as decline, but as a chance to live with purpose and independence.
Financial security at the same time tops the list of concerns for both generations as far as living longer is concerned.
Among the respondents, 74 percent believe that longevity is a blessing only if they have sufficient financial resources, with running out of money being their greatest worry (61 percent).
Millennials and Gen Zs also agree that mental health is a top longevity concern (36 percent and 47 percent, respectively).
Millennials surveyed are more concerned about maintaining ties with their children (37 percent), while Gen Z is more concerned about living their desired lifestyle (39 percent).
Gaining financial independence is also a top longevity priority for young Filipinos (52 percent), followed by family relationships (36 percent) and physical health (33 percent).
