Q&A: Harvard’s Dr. Steven Lockley on the Future of Wellness: Our Natural, Internal “Circadian Time” Becomes as Important as Artificial Clock-Time

Q&A: Harvard’s Dr. Steven Lockley on the Future of Wellness: Our Natural, Internal “Circadian Time” Becomes as Important as Artificial Clock-Time  The GWI has a new Q&A with Dr. Steven Lockley of Harvard Medical School (one of the world’s top experts on circadian rhythms) and circadian tech pioneer, Timeshifter CEO Mickey Beyer-Clausen on how the future of health and wellness is solutions that make our…

Needed Interventions: More Trees in Cities; Biodiversity for Mental Health

The exceptional severity of recent and current heat waves and/or droughts affecting several areas across the globe (from the West Coast of Northern America to the Russian Arctic and Madagascar) is yet another wake-up call for policymakers and civil society. Climate change is accelerating, and so are policies susceptible to mitigate its risks. Listed companies should start preparing to disclose in a standardized manner the…

Research: The “Fitness Market” Is Far Bigger Than Gyms and Boutique Studios

Physical activity is intrinsic to wellness, and it is no surprise that fitness has long been a major segment and a key driver of the wellness industry. In Move to be Well: The Global Economy of Physical Activity, GWI estimated that global consumers spent an estimated $108.6 billion (an average of $384 per participant) on doing fitness activities in 2018. When most people think about…

Two Industries at the Heart of Wellness–Hospitality and Food/Beverage–Rank Last on Carbon Reduction Targets

The recent landmark court ruling ordering Shell to accelerate its decarbonization plan and the remarkable related battle that just pitted Engine No.1 against ExxonMobil (in which the small activist fund holds a mere 0.02%) is further proof the writing is on the wall for all large greenhouse emitters. The wider lesson: Any company in any industry unprepared for the accelerating radical energy transition is bound…

What Is Mindful Movement? First Global Data on a Growing, $29 Billion Wellness Segment

Practices such as yoga and tai chi have commanded a following for thousands of years, but the mass, worldwide adoption of mindful movement is a relatively recent phenomenon. Over the last couple of decades, many of these ancient or long-standing practices have been co-opted by the world of fitness, adapted to appeal to modern gym-goers. Alongside this trend, our concept of exercise and fitness is…

Physical Activity and Fitness Technologies: A Fast-Growing $26 Billion Global Market

Technology is arguably the biggest force driving change in the physical activity economy, bringing new business models and methods of participation, new ways to reach customers, and new kinds of devices and equipment. Technology is transforming how consumers engage with all types of fitness and physical activity, enabling us to track our own metrics, monitor performance and progress, access programs and services on demand, and…