India lags behind the world when it comes to the tag of being a ‘healthy’ nation, with healthcare accounting for only 0.9 per cent of national GDP as against 12 per cent by G7 countries. Health as a topic has never been centre-stage in the larger discussions on the country’s progress and growth.

“India – the diabetes capital of the world”, “Obesity on the rise”, “Younger people suffering from heart attacks”… going by the headlines, it would not be wrong to assume that India is on the brink of a health catastrophe!

While a lot of what’s making news is true, what is equally undeniable is that a strong and silent health revolution is slowly sweeping the nation today.

Be it food, fitness or lifestyle, there is a change in attitudes and mindset, with people now making healthier choices. This is creating a new ecosystem for innovative healthcare products and services to thrive!

Oats, green tea, et al A walk along any supermarket aisle gives you the first indication of changing consumer preferences and tastes, especially when it comes to foods and beverages.

The regular “old-fashioned” white bread faces tough competition from a myriad of bread varieties with fancy claims of multi-grain, vitamin-enriched, Omega 3-fortified, organic whole wheat, seven grain, high-fibre, walnut, and so on.

Cornflakes after fighting a battle over the last decade to become a part of the Indian breakfast habits, are now facing a new enemy apart from the traditional parathas and idli-dosa ... in the avatar of oats! Before we realised, it caught the fancy of everyone around us, be it high-society fashionistas or urban fitness freaks.

What’s helping early adoption of oats is its flexibility to cater to the Indian palate through new recipes such as oats upma and oats chilla and the like.

Similarly, we see a host of sports and energy drinks on the shelves even as packaged fruit beverages continue to grow with refurbished health claims. Indians who love strong tea are discovering the benefits of mild green tea.

There is also a new tribe of soy milk drinkers and organic cow milk lovers who shun normal milk!

The other large category that interests people seeking healthier options is snacking. Be it biscuits or chips, there is a growing realisation that hunger pangs need not be satisfied with junk products that add empty calories.

Britannia Nutrichoice, Lays Baked Chips and Unibic sugar-free oatmeal cookies are some good examples of these.

Urban Indians are experimenting a lot with global cuisines that rely less on deep frying and more on grilling and sautéing food.

Healthier lighter oils like olive oil with labels claiming “especially suited for Indian cooking” are finding a lot of takers despite the price disadvantage over other alternatives available.

Clearly, our largest share of wallet is reflecting a change towards healthier choices. It might be an emerging trend with a pronounced urban skew but something that will only grow in times to come.

Towards a healthy mind The obvious signs of a fitness wave are evident in the form of the mushrooming number of gyms and fitness chains.

Move aside aerobics, cardio, weights and regular yoga … enter kickboxing, Pilates and power yoga! Eighty-four per cent of Indians say looking good is a higher priority today than in previous generations! The body beautiful is no longer the preserve of models and film stars alone.

Our beauty and fashion icons have triggered a whole new generation of young people obsessed with ‘looking good and feeling good’.

This fitness trend feeds back into diet control and ‘eating right’ fuelling the healthy food choices described above.

The beauty industry has been quick to respond! Anti-ageing products and treatments, the rising popularity of Botox and dermal fillers and spread of skin care clinics (Kaya has more than 100 outlets in India), address this new consumer need.

Trichologists — earlier an unheard of healthcare speciality — are finding their newly set up hair clinics crowded with young men and women seeking cures for balding and other hair problems.

However, more than fitness, there is a growing trend towards a more holistic orientation to healthcare where a healthy mind is as important as a healthy body.

This mental and physical approach, popularly termed as wellness, is driving the growth of spas, ayurveda centres and rejuvenation homes across the country.

Ayurveda, which among the modern Indian in the past had negative perceptions of a pestle-and-mortar business being run out of a shanty, is now getting positioned as combining science with the goodness of nature and also getting extended into swanky retail formats, selling a whole host of health and wellness products.

Today, no medical treatment is complete without a good diet and lifestyle programme thrown in. Stress management has become an important part of the overall wellness movement.

Meditation courses, yoga classes, shops that sell spiritual merchandise, all are indicators of Indians trying to cope with the stresses of modern day living and trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Studies indicate a strong link between a healthy person and a happy person.

(This is the first part of a two-part article)

The author is an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - INDIA, IPSOS HEALTHCARE

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