Increasingly, people want to reach old age enjoying vitality: traveling, dancing or continuing to explore personal passions. However, a new global study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals a contradiction in consumer habits, as few act consistently to achieve such vitality.
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This gap, called the longevity paradox, reflects how people often confuse means (diet, exercise, sleep) with ends (well-being, purpose, joy), leading to frustration and demotivation.
According to the research, carried out on more than 9,000 people in 19 countries, only 12% of consumers manage to sustainably integrate habits that support healthy aging. Even in those over 56 with pre-existing conditions, only 40% take active action. Young people show great interest, but combine contradictory behaviors: they use wellness applications and smart watches, but they also practice doomscrolling (spending hours on their cell phone sliding the screen), consume sugary drinks or skip meals.
Aging
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“Consumers don’t just want to live longer, they want to live better. They seek experiences that connect their personal ambitions with tangible products and services: from wellness apps to personalized supplements. The challenge is to translate that motivation into lasting changes,” said Andrés Giraldo, Managing Director & Partner of BCG.
The report shows that healthy aging is driving an expanding consumer ecosystem: digital apps, smart watches or rings, longevity clinics and custom-designed supplements. In emerging markets, such as Latin America, natural remedies and consumables predominate; while in developed countries the demand for mental therapies, advanced diagnoses and personalized services is growing. India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East already report that 70% of consumers use technology associated with longevity.
It’s no longer just about preventing illness: consumers want to invest in experiences that prolong their well-being. This opens up a huge space for brands that offer personalized, reliable and accessible solutions.
The study highlights that motivation comes from the “why” of each person, their health ambitions, and that personalization is the vehicle to turn them into habits. The adoption of technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) is growing rapidly: platforms such as Noom (weight), Sondermind (mental health) or Ovum (women’s health) already convert goals into daily, gamified and conversational action plans.
However, trust remains a decisive factor. Although 80% of consumers say they would share their personal data in exchange for more personalized experiences, problems remain. fears regarding privacy. Successful solutions will be those that balance technological innovation with security and transparency.
“Healthy aging is no longer a niche topic: it is an expanding ecosystem that is transforming consumer habits around the world,” says Giraldo, “The findings show that consumers are ready to make the leap from intention to action, as long as they find personalized, accessible and reliable solutions,” he concludes. Read the full report here
