Millennials Reshaping Consumption: The Winners – Small Wellness Companies, Not Big Brands

Monthly Barometer Paul Polman (Unilever’s CEO) recently confessed: “Our biggest threat is that we lose connection with millennials.” Emmanuel Faber (Danone’s CEO) echoes Polman’s concerns: “Millennials want committed brands with authentic products. Natural, simpler, and if possible small, as small as you can.” Millennials, who are now coming of age and approaching their peak earning years, are going to reshape consumption into a much more…

Water Crisis Will Seriously Impact Certain Wellness Tourism Markets

Monthly Barometer Our relative long-term bullishness for Europe is premised upon the following: It is stronger than it seems, but most importantly, it is better placed than most other countries, regions or continents to mitigate the major global risks (like climate change) that is collectively faced. Water is a big case in point. Fresh water availability is changing fast, with water insecurity becoming an increasing…

The Wellness Wearables Market Is Booming—But So Are Concerns About Data Privacy

The market for health-tech wearables continues to grow healthily. At the end of last year, Fitbit reported more than 25 million active users (an increase of 9 percent year-on-year), with an increase roughly similar for Apple Watches. As the market expands, providers of wearable fitness trackers are starting to aggressively target corporate clients on the strength of new research, showing that the more active employees…

Study: Fitness in Midlife a Weapon Against Depression & Cardiovascular Disease Later

A large new study (analyzing roughly 18,000 people) found that men and women who are more physically fit at midlife have a much lower risk of depression and death from cardiovascular disease later in life. Compared with those in the lowest fitness category, people in the highest were 16 percent less likely to have depression, 61 percent less likely to have cardiovascular illness without depression,…

GWI Women in Leadership Initiative: Does Your Company Support Equality?

The Global Wellness Institute launched a Women In Leadership Initiative to encourage and promote “Lean In Circles” for women throughout the wellness industry. Women have a strong presence in all sectors of the wellness industry, but gender inequalities still exist. And the initiative supports women professionally, emotionally and privately. Does your company support equality and diversity? Make a pledge to support women in your workforce…

The US Suicide Epidemic: Social Connections May Be the Missing Link

The recent suicides of two celebrities—the fashion designer Kate Spade and the chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain—have drawn attention to new federal data showing a rise in the number of suicides across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates rose by 25 percent between 1999 and 2016. In 2016, 45,000 Americans aged 10 or older…