Are Younger Generations More Health-Conscious? What the Research Shows

Research suggests younger generations, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are more likely to prioritize health and wellness earlier in life than previous generations did.^{1, 2} Collectively, these generational segments are paying closer attention to nutrition, exercise, mental health, stress management and how their lifestyle choices affect their long-term well-being.

The trend makes sense, considering these generations grew up in an era of organic products, sleep trackers, mental health apps, wearable fitness devices, health-and-wellness influencers, and much more, as well as a vast ocean of health information available on-demand, at their fingertips.

But there is a curious flip side to this promising data: while these younger generations may indeed be more health-conscious overall, some of their habits are actually contributing to greater health risks. One study, for example, found that Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely to skip preventive screenings, with Millennials at 62% and Gen Z at 61%.³

Jessica Ngo, M.D., an internal medicine physician on the medical staff at Texas Health Dallas and a physician with Texas Health Internal Medicine, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice, says one of the most important steps that health-conscious young people can take is building a relationship with a primary care physician who understands their full health picture over time. Are these generations heeding that advice? And what’s driving their motivations, attitudes, and beliefs about health? It helps to understand some key data points about each generation.

Millennial health and wellness data

Millennials, defined as those born between 1981 and 1996, have emerged as arguably the most health-conscious generation in history. Yet their approach to wellness looks radically different from the generations that came before them. As a group, millennials favor prevention, personalization, and proactive spending over the traditional doctor's office. They are reshaping the health and wellness industry from the ground up, driven by deeply held values around food, mental health, and technology.

Wellness Spending & Prioritization

• Millennials (alongside Gen Z) make up just 36% of the U.S. adult population but drive more than 41% of annual wellness spend.¹
• Two-thirds of millennials purchased functional-nutrition products in the last year.¹
• Compared to older generations, millennials are more likely to experiment with a wide range of wellness products including health-tracking devices, fitness apps, and at-home fitness equipment.¹

Food & Nutrition

• 26% of millennials identify as vegetarian or vegan, and 34% of meat-eating millennials eat at least 4 vegetarian dinners per week.⁵
• Millennial parents buy more organic food than any other generational cohort.⁵
• Millennials consume more fresh and frozen vegetables than other generations and dine out ~30% more than older generations.⁵

Trust & Information-Seeking

• Only 36% of millennials consulted their primary care physician about a health concern in the last year.⁴
• Roughly 1 in 3 millennials looks up health information via search engines instead.⁴
• 13% of millennials used a generative AI tool to answer a health question.⁴

Gen Z health and wellness data

Gen Z, defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, is the first generation to grow up with wellness as a cultural baseline. They didn't "discover" healthy living, they inherited it. Yet these digital natives also report feeling more stressed, more self-conscious, and more skeptical of traditional healthcare than any generation before them. Gen Z approaches health holistically, blending mental, physical, and social wellness while increasingly bypassing conventional medicine in favor of technology, community, and self-directed research.

Wellness Spending & Prioritization

• Two-thirds of Gen Z purchased functional-nutrition products (supplements, fortified foods, etc.) in the last year.¹
• 53% of Gen Z consumers spent more on cosmetic procedures in 2024 than in 2023 — the highest rate of any generation.¹
• More than a third of Gen Z find it "very difficult" to manage their weight, compared to 27% of the overall population.¹

Mental Health

• 40% of Gen Z report feeling "almost always stressed" — more than double the 23% reported across the general population.¹
• 42% of Gen Z (alongside millennials) say mindfulness is a "very high priority," vs. just 29% of baby boomers.¹
• Gen Z's elevated stress levels are driving significant spending on mental wellness products, therapy apps, and mindfulness tools.¹

Trust & Information-Seeking Behavior

• Only 37% of Gen Z consulted a primary care physician about a health concern in the last year, compared to a 48% average across all ages.⁴
• ~1 in 3 Gen Z respondents turned to a search engine for health information instead of seeing a doctor.⁴
• 36% of Gen Z say friends and family are a primary health information source.⁴
• 13% of Gen Z used a generative AI tool to answer a health question, tied with millennials as the highest of any generation.⁴

Technology & Digital Health

• Social media is an important healthcare information source for 42% of Gen Z, compared to just 20% of non-Gen Z generations.²
• Gen Z strongly prefers virtual appointments, telehealth, and on-demand personalized health services over in-person visits.²

Are Millennials and Gen Z going to the doctor?

Overall, these data points illuminate an important trend: that both millennial and Gen Z prioritize preventive and holistic care in principle, but they overwhelmingly prefer it to be delivered through digital, self-directed, or peer-based channels rather than through traditional medical systems.^2,3,4

Worryingly, however, some studies suggest that these younger generations are avoiding traditional care all together. According to one study, 61% of Gen Z reported delaying or skipping a recommended health checkup or screening.³ Another study found that only 36% of millennials consulted a primary care physician about a health concern in the last year, well below the 48% all-age average.⁴

Dr. Ngo is among those who would like to see millennials and Gen Z prioritize relationships with primary care physicians, even if it’s just for an annual physical.  

"The annual physical is a good time to review your health and address anything that may be falling through the cracks, such as immunizations, cancer screenings, and questions you may have forgotten at your last visit. It is also a good time to screen for medical issues early before they become a long-term chronic illness," says Ngo.   

Primary care is not only for when you are sick. Dr. Ngo points out that seeing a primary care physician regularly is about building a trusted relationship with someone who has your full health picture. That continuity makes it easier to catch subtle changes over time and to address concerns before they escalate. And that’s true for any age.

Frequently asked questions

Are younger generations actually healthier than older generations?

While younger generations are more health-conscious and more proactive about wellness behaviors than previous generations were at the same age, that does not necessarily mean they are in better health overall. Research shows millennials and Gen Z prioritize healthy eating, regular exercise, and mental health care at higher rates than prior generations did in their youth. However, health outcomes are shaped by many factors over a lifetime, and some studies suggest millennials face new health challenges related to chronic stress, sedentary work patterns, and rising rates of conditions like anxiety and depression. Building healthy habits early is meaningful, but it is most effective when supported by regular care from a primary care physician.

Why are younger generations more health conscious than older generations?

Several factors appear to be driving this trend. Greater access to health information, evolving attitudes about mental health, and changing social norms around smoking, alcohol, and substance use all play a role. Awareness of chronic disease risk at a younger age also contributes: many younger adults have watched family members deal with preventable conditions and are motivated to make different choices.

What health issues are millennials and Gen Z most focused on?

Millennials and Gen Z are most focused on nutrition, physical activity, and mental health. Compared to older generations, younger adults are more likely to seek therapy or professional mental health support and to view mental well-being as inseparable from physical health. Both generations also show strong interest in preventive care and in understanding how their lifestyle choices affect their long-term health.

How often should a young adult see a primary care physician?

Young adults should see a primary care physician at least once a year for an annual physical or wellness visit, even if they feel healthy. These visits allow your physician to review your overall health, update immunizations, order age-appropriate screenings, and establish a baseline that makes future changes easier to detect. If you have ongoing health conditions or concerns, your physician may recommend more frequent visits. For personalized guidance, speak with a Texas Health primary care provider.

References

1. McKinsey & Company. The $2 trillion global wellness market gets a millennial and Gen Z glow-up.
2. Frontiers in Public Health. Generational differences in healthcare: the role of technology in the path forward.
3. Aflac. 9 in 10 Americans have put off health checkups and screenings that could help save their lives
4. eMarketer. Gen Zers, millennials consult non-traditional health info sources nearly as often as they consult doctors.
5. 5 American Heart Association. Millennials have their own ideas about food – and that's changing the entire system.