The future takes shape:  Five dimensions of tomorrow’s wellness economy

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The future takes shape:  Five dimensions of tomorrow’s wellness economy

By Kristi Klitsch Weaver and Stefan Rickert | McKinsey & Company | November 20, 2025

2 key takeaways from the article

1. Most of us realize intuitively that health is much more than the presence or absence of disease. But what do we mean when we talk about wellness? McKinsey defines wellness along six dimensions: better health, fitness, sleep, mindfulness, appearance, and nutrition.
2. According to McKinsey’s latest Future of Wellness research, which surveyed more than 9,000 consumers in China, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the global consumer wellness market has reached $2 trillion per year. In the United States, the wellness market is growing as much as 10 percent per year and is now worth $500 billion. Eighty-four percent of US consumers now consider wellness a top or important priority in their everyday lives—similar to the 94 percent and 79 percent who say so in China and the United Kingdom, respectively.

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Topics:  Health and Welness, Better Health, Fitness, Sleep, Mindfulness, Appearance, Nutrition

Extractive Summary of the Article | Read | Listen

According to McKinsey’s latest Future of Wellness research, which surveyed more than 9,000 consumers in China, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the global consumer wellness market has reached $2 trillion per year. In the United States, the wellness market is growing as much as 10 percent per year and is now worth $500 billion. Eighty-four percent of US consumers now consider wellness a top or important priority in their everyday lives—similar to the 94 percent and 79 percent who say so in China and the United Kingdom, respectively.

Most of us realize intuitively that health is much more than the presence or absence of disease. But what do we mean when we talk about wellness? McKinsey defines wellness along six dimensions: better health, fitness, sleep, mindfulness, appearance, and nutrition.

Fitness.  In recent years, fitness has become much more than a way to manage health, or even a hobby; it’s becoming a core part of people’s identities. This is particularly true for younger people, especially Gen Z. Based on McKinsey analysis, we expect consumers to maintain their spending on fitness club memberships and fitness apps and increase their spending on in-person fitness classes and personal training.

Weight management.  Weight management is top of mind for consumers in the United States, where nearly one in three adults meets the criteria for obesity. Sixty percent of consumers surveyed in the United States told McKinsey that they are currently trying to lose weight.  Exercise remains the most common weight management intervention across markets. But others are rising in popularity, including nutritionist-led weight management programs, meal plans, and prescription weight loss medications such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s).

Aging.  People are living longer than ever. Older people, on average, can expect to have an additional 20 years of life compared with those in 1960. A move toward preventive medicine, the growth of health technology, and advances in antiaging research are propelling demand for products and services that support healthy aging and longevity. And healthy aging means a range of things to consumers, from supporting cognitive function to preserving one’s independence, living a long life, preventing chronic disease, and keeping energy levels high.

Just living longer doesn’t necessarily translate into untroubled old age. A recent McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) survey indicates a dissonance between a person’s actual age and their perception of their health. There’s also evidence that their socioeconomic status informs this perception. Put simply, people in lower-middle-income countries, such as Egypt or India, were more likely to report being in good health, even though they have a lower life expectancy than others in the survey. Conversely, people in high-income countries were more likely to report lower perceptions of health, even though their life expectancy is relatively higher. This reaffirms that health means more than simply the number of years you can expect to live, or the presence or absence of disease.

Women health.  According to a report published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with MHI, women live in poor health for 25 percent more of their lives than men do. There is an obvious moral imperative for closing what’s known as the women’s health gap. But improving women’s long-term health would also have significant economic benefits, to the tune of $1 trillion in annual global GDP by 2040.

A wide variety of new women’s health and wellness products have come on the market in recent years across a range of care needs. But there is still unmet demand for products and services, particularly those related to menopause, menstrual and intimate care, fertility support, and other areas.

Sleep is the second-highest health and wellness priority for consumers—and also where consumers say they have the most unmet needs. In a previous report, 37 percent of US consumers expressed a desire for additional sleep and mindfulness products and services.  A large number of factors can affect a good night’s sleep, including diet, exercise, caffeine, screen time, and stress. Few, if any, tech players have been able to develop a holistic solution to consumers’ sleep issues—though sleep tech is a fast-growing industry.  Sleep loss—particularly the loss of deep (or slow-wave) sleep—is linked to a long list of chronic health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, dementia, depression, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. It also affects cognitive function, attention, and decision-making.