68% urban Indians don't practice preventive healthcare: Study

As many as 68 per cent of urban Indians do not practice preventive healthcare at an early stage, when they do not suffer from lifestyle disorders, a new study has found.

The first survey to understand wellness trends in India revealed that less than a third urban Indians take steps to proactively adopt preventive wellness.

The survey was conducted to bring out the trends and perceptions about 'wellness' amongst urban adults in three key markets - Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.

A sample size of 896 urban and semi-urban people belonging to the age group of 20-55 years was interviewed to draw insights to understand the perception of wellness in India.

The survey conducted by drug company Himalaya and market research firm IMRB revealed that respondents from Mumbai perceived themselves to be healthier compared to the other two cities.

The survey also found that 61 per cent of people have acknowledged facing some health issue, with joint pains (27 per cent), low immunity (19 per cent) and obesity (12 per cent) being the top among it.

Out of this, females and elderly are more prone to having a higher incidence of any health issues.

The findings also state that people are now willing to make lifestyle shifts in order to achieve overall wellness.

People recognised that preventive wellness is necessary to ensure a healthy tomorrow and this increase in awareness reflects the need for change in everyone's hectic routines, researchers said.

Moreover, 49 per cent of the people considered supplements and Ayurveda products as effective preventive wellness measures.

"This survey is a step towards understanding people's perceptions and beliefs towards wellness," said Dr Mohamed Rafiq, Principal Scientist at Research and Development Centre, The Himalaya Drug Company.

"It reveals that while people have a high appreciation for preventive healthcare, they seldom practice necessary steps required to achieve overall wellness," Rafiq said.

As many 62 per cent of respondents believed that work-life balance is the key to achieve a healthy life and 67 per cent of the respondents attribute wellness to maintaining a balanced diet.

According to 80 per cent of respondents, improper diet was the main reason for their health issues.