Packed with hints for revitalizing the healthcare market!? Men in their 20s' "Zero → Plus" health awareness

This project explores new trends in healthcare through expert interviews. Following the first installment on "preventive medicine," this time we focus on "healthcare awareness among men in their 20s." While health is often thought of as something people become more concerned about as they age, results from the "Wellness 10,000 Survey" show that positive attitudes and actions toward healthcare among men in their 20s have become increasingly noticeable in recent years.

What external influences and shifts in values underlie this? And what new healthcare trends are emerging from the health awareness and behaviors of men in their 20s?

Healthcare journalist Kunihiro Nishizawa joined us as a guest, and Dentsu Inc. Healthcare Team's Naho Takizawa conducted the interview.

*The Wellness 10,000 Survey: A large-scale quantitative survey aimed at understanding healthcare insights from consumers' health awareness and behaviors, revealing market needs and trends from the consumer perspective. Launched in 2007, it is conducted annually with 10,000 men and women aged 20 to 60.

A polarization between "Health-Active" and "Health-Indifferent" groups, particularly noticeable among men in their 20s

Takizawa: "The Wellness 10,000 Survey 2020" performed cluster analysis based on health awareness and behavior items. Among the seven identified clusters, the "Health-Active Group"—characterized by the broadest range of health awareness and behaviors—accounted for 26.5% of all men in their 20s. This represents a composition ratio approximately 10% higher than the overall Health-Active Group across all genders and ages (16.9%).

Conversely, the "Health-Indifferent Group," who show no concern for health, also reached 29.7%, about 14% higher than the 15.8% share across all age groups, clearly showing polarization. What are your thoughts on these survey results, Mr. Nishizawa?

Nishizawa: While I find it very interesting that health awareness and behavior among men in their 20s are so clearly polarized, it also makes me feel a sense of crisis.

Takizawa: Among specific awareness items, over 30% of men in their 20s answered "applies to me" for statements like "I always lead a health-conscious lifestyle" and "I believe my knowledge about nutrients, food, exercise, and other health topics is above average." This percentage is higher than for men in their 30s to 50s. Regarding behavioral items, the percentage of men in their 20s who answered "I regularly consume specific health foods (Tokuhō)" was 25%, the highest score compared to other genders and age groups.

Nishizawa: So, while FOSHU products should primarily target generations concerned about lifestyle-related diseases or menopause-related discomforts, there might be a gap in actual usage patterns.

Takizawa: Considering that most men in their 20s are medically healthy, it suggests a health consciousness emerging not from "negative (illness/discomfort) → zero (cure)" but rather "zero → positive (a more comfortable state)." While polarized, what are your thoughts, Nishizawa-san, on the fact that a certain percentage of men in their 20s show high interest in health?

Nishizawa: How men in their 20s perceive their own parents seems to offer one clue. Among their parents' generation, particularly men in their 50s and 60s, I suspect not many prioritized health from a young age. Furthermore, they navigated the uncertain, low-growth era following the bubble economy's collapse, groping their way forward. Now, they are approaching old age with anxiety about their later years. It's only natural that children who have seen their parents' struggles up close would feel a sense of crisis, thinking, "I have to protect myself."

Takizawa: It's true that we see many examples where lifestyle habits and values that the parent generation considered acceptable, like drinking habits or smoking, are now viewed negatively by the younger generation.

Nishizawa: Another aspect, I think, relates to community formation among the digital native generation and beyond. For people in their 20s, belonging to multiple communities through virtual platforms is the norm. They naturally consider how they present themselves and express themselves in each space.

Moreover, the nature of communities is changing. For example, while our generation in our 50s and 60s had many flashy, competitive communities when we were young, their communities often promote gender-free, flat hierarchies and prioritize comfortable relationships. Cleanliness and healthiness are likely valued as part of that.

This is completely different from the values of our parents' generation, who pored over embarrassing magazine features like "The Qualities of a Popular Guy" (laughs). There was the term "herbivore men" that was popular a while back, but if you ask young people today, "What's your favorite food?" it's not uncommon for them to seriously answer, "I like salad," without trying to be quirky.

Takizawa: Men who like salad are no longer a niche group, right? We've even seen the evolution to "power salads," and now they're accepted by both men and women.

Nishizawa: While the rising health consciousness among men in their 20s is a very positive trend, I'm concerned that nearly 30% remain completely indifferent.

Takizawa: Exactly. We tend to put off digging deeper into the apathetic group, but I feel their insights hold crucial clues about the new direction this market could take.

Nishizawa: While some people expand their communities through virtual means, others struggle to build comfortable relationships and end up isolated. This is especially true during the pandemic, with its restrictions on real-world connections. The disparity in these relational dynamics might also be contributing to the polarization of health consciousness.

Is "beauty consciousness," inseparable from young people's health, entering a new phase!?

Takizawa: You mentioned the perspective of how one presents themselves within a community. Beauty awareness among men in their 20s has also been rising in recent years.

Nishizawa: It's not just about using basic skincare products anymore. More men are skillfully concealing skin imperfections with foundation or opting for permanent hair removal. I've even heard that many young people, sensitive about body odor, are buying anti-aging cosmetics targeted at their fathers' generation. I haven't verified that part thoroughly (laughs).

Takizawa: When it comes to cleanliness and beauty, situations where we need to distinguish between male and female products might become less common. For example, with skincare products, since skin properties differ between men and women, distinctions based on that are still necessary. However, I think the need to explicitly label something as a "male skincare brand" with the goal of targeting men is diminishing. Products with a neutral brand image will likely be used naturally by both men and women.

Nishizawa: Back during the Korean Wave boom, it was surprising to see male celebrities with androgynous beauty become overwhelmingly popular. But now, "beautiful men" aren't just popular in Korea or Asia; they're gaining global support.

Takizawa: Alongside this shift, the men's cosmetics market continues to grow, and its needs are actively diversifying.

Nishizawa: Resistance to men wearing makeup may also continue to fade. Today's 20-somethings routinely enhance their photos to look beautiful. Considering this, there seems to be demand for health and beauty products that help bring their real bodies closer to their virtual, "enhanced favorite selves."

We hope men in their 20s become the driving force in the healthcare market! The impact of their health behaviors

Takizawa: The health and beauty awareness of men in their 20s could potentially inspire women of the same age and men and women in their 40s and older.

Nishizawa: I find this trend fascinating. Starting with men in their 20s, women's awareness could shift, and perhaps even transform the mindset of men in their parents' generation. Men in their 20s have never been the main players in the healthcare market before. If they become the driving force, it could be revolutionary for the industry.

Takizawa: If young people take the lead in prioritizing health, for example, by reducing the number of people developing lifestyle-related diseases, it could also help lower the burden on Japan's healthcare costs.

Nishizawa: Treating lifestyle-related diseases after they develop is extremely difficult, so it's fundamentally necessary to be mindful from a young age, before symptoms appear.

Regarding aging, overseas research has shown significant differences in aging rates between health-conscious individuals and those who aren't. One study compared composite photos of the faces of the 10 people with the lowest biological aging scores and the 10 with the highest scores at age 45. The visual differences were astonishing, and there were also major disparities in other aging indicators and biological age.

Another study analyzed nearly 3,000 types of proteins in blood and found that physical aging progresses irregularly, not at a constant rate. It identified three key points where the aging speed accelerates: ages 34, 60, and 78. Considering this, neglecting health management in your 30s could lead to significant consequences later on.

References:
Nat Aging. 2021 Mar;1(3):295-308
Nat Med. 2019 Dec;25(12):1843-1850.

Takizawa: This is fascinating research. Scientific information like this, which also addresses "appearance," can easily resonate with people in their 20s, making them feel personally invested and driving behavioral change. And that could transform not just the younger demographic but the entire healthcare market, right?

Nishizawa: Yes, health-conscious men in their 20s are essentially "treasures." I genuinely believe Japan could undergo significant change if they become leaders in the health market.

Takizawa: We want to firmly capture this positive trend in health awareness and behavior emerging among younger generations, particularly among men in their 20s, and leverage it in our approach to other age groups.

Finally, could you share any topics you're particularly watching in the healthcare field?

Nishizawa: I'd say it's the growing understanding of how to suppress the onset of age-related diseases at the cellular level. Among these, NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is particularly hot right now. Research is advancing on its potential effects, including aging suppression, diabetes improvement, Alzheimer's prevention, and enhanced ovarian function. It's garnering so much attention that it ranked second in predictions for popular ingredients in the first half of 2021 in a specialized health industry publication.

In the US and China, NMN supplements are already trending among celebrities and high-income groups. In Japan, support is growing among young executives and similar demographics. While products with questionable ingredients or sales methods are increasing, high-quality supplements cost around ¥30,000 to ¥50,000 per month. The rise of young people investing ¥50,000 monthly in supplements for health maintenance might symbolize the potential of "zero-to-plus" healthcare.

Takizawa: I'm curious to see how this trend will spread going forward. Thank you for today!

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[After the Second Discussion]
The reason we focused on the "zero to positive" health consciousness of men in their 20s was to create an opportunity to better understand the "emotional" side of consumers – their freedom, activeness, and sometimes illogical behaviors even within the healthcare domain – rather than becoming rigidly fixated solely on scientific correctness and serious ideas. By deepening our insights into this demographic, we aim to explore not only business opportunities targeting men in their 20s themselves, but also elements that could provide hints for other target groups and the market as a whole.

The young generation we've highlighted here is also a highly receptive target for next-generation healthcare businesses, such as online health consultations and personalized healthcare products. Keeping this perspective in mind, our next discussion will explore "Business Prospects Through Personal Health Data Utilization."

[Survey Overview]
Survey Name: "14th Annual Wellness Survey of 10,000 People 2020"
Conducted: November 2020
Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Participants: Men and women aged 20-69 nationwide (10,000 samples)
*Samples collected to match population distribution (8 categories) by gender, age, and region
Survey Company: Dentsu Macromill Insight, Inc.