Social media influencers are increasingly shaping public attitudes toward health, wellness, and dietary habits across age groups, according to the latest Ipsos study. The findings reveal that Millennials (81%), Gen X (76%) and Gen Z (74%) learn about health and dietary trends from social media influencers. And among Boomers, a significant 57%, reported seeking wellness insights from social media influencers.
“Influencers—especially those with credible qualifications, education, and relevant experience—have established themselves as trusted voices in health and wellness,” said Allyson Leavy, Senior Vice President, MSU Global, Ipsos.
However, the influence of social media is not without concern. Gen Z (54%) expressed the highest level of anxiety about the potential negative effects of social media on their wellbeing, followed by Millennials (47%), Gen X (37%), and Boomers (28%). The findings underscore the double-edged sword of social platforms—as powerful tools for information and engagement, yet also sources of misinformation and mental stress.
Optimism amid underlying stress
A significant 71% of Indians report feeling good about themselves both mentally and physically, reflecting a generally positive sense of wellbeing. This figure stands notably higher compared to the global average, where only 1 in 2 citizens express similar satisfaction.
However, despite this optimism, stress remains a constant presence in the lives of 47% of Indians, mirroring global trends where approximately 50% also report experiencing stress as an integral part of daily life.
Feelings of helplessness and anguish in the face of overwhelming global challenges were shared equally by 61% of both Indians and global citizens, pointing to a common emotional response to the scale and complexity of worldwide issues.
Mental Vitality emerges as a key health concern
The survey also explored key health concerns among citizens, with mental vitality (59%) emerging as the top concern for Indians. This included issues such as low energy (32%), mental health (29%), fatigue (16%), and insomnia or difficulty sleeping (13%).
In comparison, global citizens reported higher levels of fatigue (26%) and insomnia (29%), suggesting greater struggles with rest and recovery. However, like Indians, mental vitality overall (57%) was also the leading health concern globally, highlighting a widespread desire for sharper focus, emotional resilience, and cognitive strength.
Ipsos Market Essentials monitors how people across the globe navigate the new rules of engagement and the resulting impact on our state of mind, state of wallet and future intentions, month on month. Ipsos surveys consumers in 15 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, the UK and the US.
“The Ipsos Market Essentials India report delivers fresh, actionable insights on new topics every month,” said Archana Gupta, Group Service Line Leader, Market Strategy and Understanding, Ipsos India. “The July edition, for example, offers a deep dive into health and wellness, with data segmented by age groups and consumer cohorts—providing a goldmine of insights for marketers looking to tailor their communication and tap into emerging opportunities.”
She added, “This tracker explores a wide range of themes relevant to both consumers and brands. For instance, our previous edition focused on leisure travel—examining what motivates people to travel, their preferred destinations (from beaches to mountains), and how they define leisure itself. For some, it’s about adventure, while for others, it’s about luxury and immersive experiences.”
Methodology: The sample for this study consists of approximately 1,000 individuals in Canada, France, India, the U.K., and the U.S. and 500 in the other 10 countries. The samples in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and the U.S. can be taken as representative of these countries’ general adult population over age 16 or 18 (U.S. and Canada) and under the age of 75.
The sample in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa is more urban, more educated and/or more affluent than the general population and should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of the population. The data is weighted so that each market’s sample composition best reflects the demographic profile of the adult population according to the most recent census data.
Results in this report are not weighted by population size which would be required in order to report a representative world total. Additionally, large parts of the world population are excluded from this study for a variety of reasons. As such, instead of reporting a global or world total, we have used the terminology “Global Country Average;” that is, the mean score of all the countries in the survey.
Where results do not sum up to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don’t knows or not stated responses. The precision of Ipsos online polls is calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points.
