One in four people (24%) have admitted to following online wellness advice at least once a month, according to new research by Confused.com.
The research also revealed that just over half of consumers (55%) are spending up to £100 on these trends.
However, one in five people (18%) also disclosed that they regret trying wellness trends they discovered online.
What are the most popular wellness trends online?
Life insurance experts at Confused.com have highlighted some of the biggest wellness trends of the year, and while some report positive effects, others aren’t seeing the long-term benefits.
Vitamins and supplements
Vitamins and supplements are currently the most talked-about wellness trend, with over half (55%) of Brits sharing that they have seen or heard about the trend via social media.
However, with so much misinformation online, it is hard to know what really works; recent studies have shown that TikTok nutrition posts are driven by non-experts, with around half of videos failing to provide evidence-based information.
Ice baths
Ice baths or cold plunges have gained increasing popularity over recent years; the trend has seen 235,000 videos on TikTok and search terms such as ‘vertical ice bath’ are up by 1,000% compared to last year.
TikTok users are certainly curious about the benefits, with 3,500 TikTok searches for ‘ice bath benefits’ every month.
However, unlike vitamins and supplements, only 8% of people who have tried cold water therapy report any real wellbeing benefits.
Meditation
On the other hand, meditation remains one of the more established wellness trends, with 3.8 million videos on the subject shared on TikTok.
Interest in meditation continues to grow, with searches for ‘zen meditation’ increasing by 8,700% in the last year, and one in four people (24%) noting that the practice made a positive difference to their wellbeing.
Pilates
Pilates, a low-impact exercise design to improve strength and flexibility, has gained 1.9 million video mentions on TikTok.
In addition to this, searches for ‘Pilates essential kit’ have increased by 14,400% compared to last year.
Just over 1 in 10 (12%) of people feel Pilates has had a positive impact on their wellbeing, however it is worth considering that many social media users could be following videos from influencers that lack proper knowledge and qualifications.
Weight loss
Weight loss remains one of the most viral wellness categories, with a staggering 12.3 million related videos on TikTok.
Search data also shows the same trend, with ‘tablets for weight loss’ seeing 33,100 monthly searches – a 12,556% increase compared to last year.
However, just under one in five (18%) of people say weight loss trends have improved their wellbeing.
The importance of a balanced lifestyle
Tom Vaughan, life insurance expert at Confused.com, comments: "The rise of wellness trends on social media highlights how consumers are influenced by viral content.
“While some individuals may experience short-term benefits, our research shows many are spending considerable amounts of money on trends that ultimately fail to deliver lasting improvements to their wellbeing.
“This underlines the importance of approaching online health advice with a healthy dose of scepticism. Instead, it’s worth focusing on consistent, sustainable lifestyle habits that genuinely support long-term health.
“Maintaining a balanced lifestyle through regular exercise, a nutritious diet and stress management can have far greater, lasting benefits for wellbeing – and can save you money on your life insurance policy too."
