68% of urban Indians do not practice preventive healthcare at early stage: Survey

New Delhi: A new survey reveals that 68% of urban Indians do not practice preventive healthcare at an early stage, when they do not suffer from lifestyle disorders.

The study, which is India's first survey to understand wellness trends in India, conducted by Himalaya and IMRB revealed that less than 1/3rd 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.

To draw insights to understand the perception of wellness in India, a total sample size of 896 urban and semi-urban people belonging to the age group of 20-55 years were interviewed in the study.

The survey revealed that out of all the people who believe supplements are necessary to prevent diseases, only 42.85% consume it.

It found that young people are more inclined towards preventive healthcare, with 93% of preventive healthcare seekers belonging to 20-30 age group - lack of self-motivation (34%) as well as time constraints (23%) are the key barriers to adopt preventive measures.

While 85% of Mumbaikars believe that self-initiative was the best way to stay healthy, 58% of Bengalurueans relate to mental stimulation and socializing for being healthy.

Moreover, 72% of Bengalurueans believe that work-life balance is the most important aspect of preventive healthcare.

Delhiites perceive themselves to be more proned to obesity compared to other two markets (23 % vs. 8% and 6% in Mumbai and Bengaluru), according to the survey.

The survey revealed that respondents from Mumbai perceived themselves to be healthier compared to the other two cities.

The survey has found that 61% of people have acknowledged facing some health issues, with joint pains (27%), low immunity (19%) and obesity (12%) being the top among others. 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.

Dr Mohamed Rafiq, Principal Scientist-Research and Development Center, The Himalaya Drug Company said, "this survey is a step towards understanding people's perceptions and beliefs towards wellness. It reveals that while people have a high appreciation for preventive healthcare, they seldom practice necessary steps required to achieve overall wellness."

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

Speaking about the first wellness survey, Mr Sudheer Srinivas, General Manager, Wellness Division at Himalaya Drug Company, said, "wellness is a nascent space in the Indian market and people's perceptions towards health and wellness change at a fast pace. This survey will help us delve deep into each key market and understand both the awareness levels as well as the motivations that drive people to adopt preventive healthcare measures."