Healthy Lifestyles - Canada - February 2021

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Key issues covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Top takeaways&nbsp;
Market overview&nbsp;
Canadian physical health status isn’t great
Rising food costs will take a bite out of healthy food choices
Demographic shifts run more than skin deep: health priorities will need to shift accordingly
Impact of COVID-19 on living a healthy lifestyle
Figure 1: Short-, medium- and longer-term impact of COVID-19 on living a healthy lifestyle, February 2021
Opportunities
Resources and products for managing wellness need to do some multitasking
Consider ways to validate choices
Shine the light on micro-moments 
Challenges
There’s a push-pull dynamic when talking about mental health
Take a pause and listen: entrance into the wellness conversation must be authentic
THE MARKET – KEY TAKEAWAYS
Aspirations to eat healthy all/most of the time aren’t helping waistlines
Younger consumers are image-heavy, nutritional knowledge ‘lite’
Rising food costs will take a bite out of consumer budgets
Hurdling through the economic conditions weighs on Gen Z mental health
More than skin deep: shifting demographics mean shifting health priorities
MARKET FACTORS AND OPPORTUNITIES
The state of Canadian physical wellness isn’t great
Healthy eating habits need to start young as the bulk of Canadians are overweight or obese 
Figure 2: Distribution of underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, by age, 2018
Younger consumers: being image heavy leaves them nutritional knowledge ‘lite’
Figure 3: Canada Food Guide Instagram post, January 2019
Rising food costs will make eating healthy more challenging
Figure 4: Monthly movement in selected components of the Canadian Consumer Price Index, not seasonally adjusted, January 2018-January 2021
Figure 5: Oxford Wild Blueberries – Little Ones & Better Price, Jan 2018
Economic factors weigh heavily on the mental health of Gen Zs
Figure 6: Canadian unemployment rate, monthly, seasonally adjusted, January 2020-February 2021
Changing demographics mean health priorities must shift accordingly
A shakeup in the ethnic makeup changes the prominence of some health conditions
Figure 7: Immigrants as a proportion of the Canadian population, 1871-2036
Gen Z: addressing diversity is personal and important for their mental health
Figure 8: Self-identification of ethnicity, by generation, June 2020
Figure 9: I am part of mainstream Canada (% agree), by generation, January 2018
An aging population demands an eye on addressing physical wellness 
Figure 10: Satisfaction with and control over wellbeing, under-65s vs over-65s, March 2019
Figure 11: Population aged 0-14 and over 65, 1995-2035*
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES – WHAT’S NOW? WHAT’S NEXT?
The pandemic shines a new light on wellness
Figure 12: Impact of COVID-19 on approach to health management, December 2020
Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Rights Trend Driver
What’s now? Brand actions are in the spotlight
Figure 13: Tested to be trusted, June 2019
What’s next? CSR will become a measure of performance for consumers
Figure 14: Change in control over my health since January 2020, by perception of financial health, December 2020
Figure 15: Dole Packaged Foods Instagram post, February 2021
Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Technology Trend Driver
Now and next: gaming takes centre stage as a platform for managing mental and physical health
Figure 16: Minecraft Facebook post, April 2020
Figure 17: Blockdown | Minecraft, April 2020
Figure 18: Kostministeriet Facebook posts, June 2020
Meeting consumer needs through the lens of the Wellbeing Trend Driver
The rules around health management are changing
What’s now? Supporting consumers in everyday tasks
Figure 19: Davide Esposti Instagram post, October 2020
What’s next? Mix and matching: blurring definitions calls for more blending to health management
Figure 20: LEGO Instagram post, January 2021
Figure 21: A World of Calm HBO Max Facebook post, July 2020
THE CONSUMER – KEY TAKEAWAYS 
Managing their ‘hearts’ through their stomachs: it’s a holistic endeavour
Managing wellness is a balancing act so validate choices – healthy or otherwise
Mental health wellness is a mainstream topic so guidance is in demand
Help them get a better grip on mental status by building social support
There’s mental weight due to the pandemic; help them recuperate
HEALTH PRIORITIES
A focus on physical areas blurs with attention to mental wellness
Figure 22: Health priorities (any rank), December 2020
Resources to manage wellness need to do some multitasking
Figure 23: Apple Fitness+ Instagram post, February 2020
Consider positioning nutrition as self-care
Figure 24: Cheribundi 100% Natural Tart Cherry Juice (US), April 2020
Gen Zs are most likely to be taking a blended approach
Figure 25: Health priorities (any rank), Gen Z vs Millennials or older, December 2020
Seniors are keen to protect their current state of wellness
Figure 26: Select health priorities (any rank), seniors 65+ vs overall, December 2020
Don’t be afraid to leverage tech to help preserve independence and protect health
Keep the spotlight bright on seniors and build in more ‘room’ for virtual connections 
Figure 27: Gardening with Edibles Facebook Live | Episode 4, November 2020
Figure 28: National Parks Board Instagram post, September 2020
CHANGE IN CONTROL OVER HEALTH
Canadians are split on the pandemic’s impact on control over health
Figure 29: Perceived healthiness of lifestyle, December 2020 vs March 2019
Figure 30: Change in control over my health since January 2020, December 2020
The push-pull of motivations for healthy vs unhealthy choices has intensified 
Figure 31: Reasons for feeling more or less in control of their health, December 2020
Healthy or not, consider ways to validate their choices
Figure 32: Brooks Running Instagram post, February 2021
Functional claims will go a long way to taking the guilt out of choosing treats
Figure 33: NightFood Instagram post, July 2020
Four in 10 Gen Zs feel less in control of their health
Figure 34: Change in control over my health since January 2020, Gen Z vs overall, December 2020
Think micro-moments of control to help Gen Zs 
Figure 35: Headspace Facebook post, October 2020
Figure 36: The New York Times – Well - Health Facebook post, January 2021
A coping mechanism: fathers are most likely to feel more in control
Figure 37: Change in control over my health since January 2020, Gen Z vs overall, December 2020
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED
Canadians’ mental health is strained and they are self-diagnosing
Figure 38: Mental health conditions experienced and method of diagnosis for any mental health condition (NET), December 2020
Factors associated with the pandemic are causing stress 
Figure 39: Factors contributing to stress experienced in the past year, December 2020
Consider ways to address external factors that impact sleep
Figure 40: Chilisleep Instagram post, January 2021
Give them a moment’s rest in easily accessible formats 
Figure 41: Yocha Earl Grey & Lavender Stress Away Kombucha (Singapore), March 2020
Gen Zs may need more external support
Figure 42: Experienced stress in the past year and factors contributing to stress, Gen Z vs overall, December 2020
Acknowledge the emotional aspect of societal factors 
Figure 43: Sweetpea’s Floral Studio Instagram post, February 2021
Fathers may be underreporting as they are less inclined to self-diagnose
Figure 44: Experienced select mental health conditions in the past year, fathers with under-18s at home vs mothers vs overall, December 2020
Figure 45: Method of diagnosis for any mental health conditions (NET), fathers with under-18s at home vs overall, December 2020
Dads were already frustrated before the pandemic; lingering traditional notions ensure they ‘keep a lid on it’ 
Interest is there, normalizing the topic of fathers addressing mental wellness is key
Figure 46: Select attitudes towards mental health by fathers (% agree), December 2020
Consider ways to elevate the voice of real fathers and enhance a sense of community
Figure 47: #TakeTheTime | Bonding, June 2019
Figure 48: Dove Men+Care Global Channel Instagram post, July 2020
Figure 49: Dove Men+Care Global Channel Instagram post, September 2020
ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH
The topic is mainstream but Canadians want more guidance 
Figure 50: Attitudes towards mental health (% agree), December 2020
Build the community and they will come: considering ways to be a conduit
Figure 51: Money Talks Story #1 – Sophia + Imran, December 2018
Figure 52: Money Talks Story #2 – Alyssa + Keith, December 2018
Figure 53: SoFi Facebook post, July 2020
Suck it up? Chinese Canadians are under pressure to appear happy
Figure 54: Attitudes towards mental health, Chinese Canadians vs overall, December 2020
Lean into real-life functional benefits of physical wellness activities
Figure 55: Colgate Instagram post, January 2021
Quebecers: more conversation is needed as acknowledgement is an issue
Figure 56: Experienced any mental health issue in the past year and attitudes towards mental health (% agree), Quebec vs overall, December 2020
Figure 57: Driftwell Instagram post, February 2021
Figure 58: Driftwell Instagram post, January 2021
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
Data sources
Consumer survey data
Mintel Trend Drivers
Abbreviations
Terms