March 25th, 2024, Hoang Nguyen
The technology to monitor and track important health information has become increasingly accessible in recent years. With smartphones and sophisticated wearable devices, individuals now have access to a wealth of data about their bodies and overall wellbeing.
In new research, YouGov conducted a survey of more than 2,000 UK adults to explore their health tracking habits. The research reveals a strong national appetite for self-monitoring, with a significant portion of the population having tracked or currently tracking various health aspects. Notably, 67% of respondents reported having tracked at least one aspect of their health before using a device or app, highlighting a strong interest in personal health data.
What are people tracking?
The survey identified exercise (48% of all UK adults) as the most commonly monitored health aspect, followed by weight/diet (30%), heart rate (27%) sleep (22%) and blood pressure (22%). While a smaller percentage, 4% of respondents track their sexual activity and 3% monitor their bowel movements.
Gender divide in tracking trends
The YouGov survey unveils some intriguing gender-based trends. Women (70%) are slightly more likely than men (64%) to engage in health tracking and what they track varies as well.
Women are more likely to be keeping tabs on exercise (52% vs. 43% of men), weight and diet (34% vs. 26%) and sexual activity (5% vs. 3%).
On the other hand, men are more inclined to track their heart rate (30% vs. 24%) and blood pressure (25% vs. 19%) than women. Sleep, however, seems to be a concern for both genders with nearly equal proportions of men (26%) and women (28%) tracking their slumber patterns.
Age and life stage differences
Age appears to be another factor influencing health tracking habits. The survey suggests that young adults aged 25-35 are the most likely demographic to be actively monitoring their health using apps and devices.
Older adults (aged 55+) are more likely to be tracking their blood pressure compared to other age groups. This aligns with the increased risk of hypertension in later years.
Young adults ages 18-24 are more likely to be tracking their sexual activity (9% vs. the national average of 4%). Additionally, while the overall number is small, respondents in that age group are more likely to report tracking their bowel movements (6% vs. 3%).
Menstrual cycle tracking
There’s a strong prevalence of menstrual cycle tracking among women, especially younger cohorts. A significant 51% of women aged 44 and under reported using an app or device to monitor their cycles, suggesting a growing comfort with managing women’s health through technology.
Methodology
YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 5-6 March 2024, with a nationally/ representative sample of 2,199 UK adults (aged 18+ years) using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education and social grade to be representative of all UK adults (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.