As a bit of background to the Index, AIA Australia (as part of AIA Group) undertakes a biannual survey called the “Healthy Living Index Survey”, carried out by global survey company TNS. Conducted across 15 Asia Pacific markets (Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, Singapore, The Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, China and Vietnam), the survey seeks to understand how people in the Asia-Pacific region feel about their health, their concerns, hopes for a healthier way of life and how this has changed since the first Healthy Living Index Survey was carried out in 2011. Key findings:
More than half (52%) of adults surveyed agreed social networking and spending time online is becoming addictive for them, a 7% increase since 2013 (45%). Those saying it is hard to break the habit of spending too much time in front of screens has also increased (61% compared to 56% in 2013).
65% of Australians say their health is not as good as it was five years ago;
Wearable technology is becoming an increasingly popular way to help Aussies improve their health. One in five Australians currently owns an activity tracker, such as a fitbit or smart watch, and 82% of those who own a device wear it all or most of the time and find them useful in helping them become healthier.
Out of all health conditions, cancer is still the biggest concern for Australians (67%) followed by heart disease (65%), depression (65%) and being overweight/obese (63%). Two in three Australian adults (68%) would like to lose weight and, on average, would like to lose a total of 8.3 kgs.
90% of Australians acknowledge that they should be doing more to improve their health, 63% believe they have already begun to take small steps to address the issue. Having the right motivation, as ever, is key. Feeling better physically (89%) and mentally (87%) and setting smaller and more achievable goals (77%) are good motivators to exercise more or eating healthier.
The survey showed that Australians see healthy behaviours such as sufficient sleep, eating healthy and regular exercise as the most important drivers of healthy living, but also recognise the importance of psychological aspects such as work-life balance and a happy frame of mind. The survey also found that people over the age of 45 years old placed more importance on family relationships and medical check-ups compared to their younger counterparts.
Ed Note; not sure if that makes you feel better or worse!