Health in everyday life

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/5

Guest writer:
Adrienn Dorogi
senior researcher
NMS Hungary

Our representative survey of 500 people has found: 10% of people think of their lifestyle as health-centred, and 37%, consider health consciousness to be very important in their daily lives. Health-conscious people are more likely to be women aged 46-65 years and parents with children.

Exercise isn’t the same as sport!

What is the difference between a health-centred lifestyle and a health-conscious lifestyle? Both lifestyle groups have a significantly higher proportion of people than the average who follow a balanced and nutrient-rich diet, drink adequate amounts of fluids, and take supplements and vitamins. A large proportion of them are avoiding harmful addictions, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Regular exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. For people with a healthy lifestyle, exercise typically means doing sports. Being physically active is also important for health-conscious people, but this is less sport and more some kind of everyday activity, e.g. walking, hiking, walking the dog, gardening or spending time with the children in the playground.

What is considered healthy eating?

Both the lifestyle and the conscious groups have a higher proportion of plant-based or vegetarian diet followers – these people are aware of their sugar and fibre intake, use less fat when cooking, and are open to new information about healthy eating. The healthy lifestyle group tends to consult experts, calculators and apps to plan their diets. 38% of those who do sports regularly consume some kind of special product and the majority do so on a daily basis, not specifically during or after physical exercise.

Is mental health family-based?

Only 28% consciously take care of their mental health (compared to 55% of people with a healthy lifestyle), but 96% try to relax and recharge their batteries as part of their daily routine. 53% of respondents relax by spending time with family, and nearly the same proportion is most likely to switch off in front of a screen. Overall, our research shows that healthy lifestyles and health consciousness aren’t just buzzwords or dreams, but real and achievable goals that many people are successfully integrating into their daily lives in different ways. The differences between health-centred lifestyles and health consciousness, and the different approaches of different demographic groups highlight that healthy lifestyle can be diverse and personalised. //