Covid and lockdowns have impacted how people and businesses think about health. AI is playing its part and startups like Healistic, a pharma based app that delivers meds to your door in under 45 minutes, is a good example of how quickly things are changing. We’re also seeing a growing culture of self diagnosis with consumers taking to social media to check symptoms or follow fitness influencers for health and exercise advice.
We highlighted the growth of the smart home work out category in a recent article and 2023 looks set to be an even bigger year for the fitness and health category.
According to Expert Market Research, the global fitness tracker market held a value of close to USD 35.13 billion in 2020. The market is further expected to grow in the forecast period of 2023-2028 at a CAGR of 18.80% to reach nearly USD 98.75 billion by 2026.
A recent Accenture survey of 11,000 consumers across 16 countries found that 80% said they intend to maintain or increase their spend on areas related to health and fitness.
And if you’re still not convinced…
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has declared that wearable technology will top the global fitness trend for the year ahead (based on an international survey of 4,500 health and fitness professionals).
There is a glut of brands, devices and innovation in the Health and Fitness category, and we’ve picked out a few that would make our Christmas wishlist.
Briiv Air Filter
A lot of health devices offer great levels of performance but fall down when it comes to design and aesthetics. Briiv is one brand that delivers on both fronts. The UK startup has developed an air purification device that fuses tech with natural materials like charcoal and reindeer moss to create a stylish piece of kit that really catches the eye.
Core by Hyperice
The Core by Hyperice is a meditation trainer in your hands that measures your heart rate through a series of vibrations. The stylish and portable unit helps users to meditate, learn breathing techniques and deal with stress. The Hyperice app records your biometric data so you can track your progress and chart the impact on your physical and mental wellness. Via a subscription service, users can also access bespoke content from Hyperice coaches.
Ivy by Bellabeat
The Ivy Health Tracker is an elegant and considered take on the health tracker. Designed for women by women, the device monitors a number of things including sleep quality, heart rate and menstrual cycles with data stored and accessed via the app. The Ivy is light, durable and made with high quality stainless steel and silicone. There's also no display so it looks and feels more like a piece of jewellery.Battery life is up to 8 days and recharges in 90 minutes.
PlayPulse One Home Exercise Bike
Gamification is nothing new but it’s something we’re seeing pushed by the likes of Meta with their latest advertising campaign for the MetaQuest 2 and VR fitness app. Norwegian outfit Playpulse have made gaming a key part of their home exercise bike. The handles look more like console controllers complete with haptic feedback so you get a really interactive experience. The bike comes with a 24 inch screen plus a suite of custom built games, and is available for pre-order.
Cubii Move
Cubii has developed a range of elliptical devices aimed largely at desk workers who miss out on regular exercise. The Cubii claims to be completely silent when in use so you’ll hardly notice the 150 calories disappear with every hour of use.
Shiatsu Foot Massager by Renpho
Sore feet from illness and sport is a common affliction, and the Shiatsu Foot Massager by Renpho is an interesting product that’s been designed to relieve pain and stress. The massager can comfortably accommodate feet up to size 12, and offers a number of massage options with a variety of heat and air compression settings to suit all tastes.
Vivoo Home Test Kit
Most consumers are now familiar with home testing, and Vivoo’s at home urine testing kit is the perfect example of how this trend is evolving to meet the demand for self diagnosis and personal health monitoring. Users can buy a one off batch of test cards or sign up to a subscription service. Using the Vivoo app to scan the card once used, results are generated in 90 seconds and provide a breakdown of body related data such as hydration and calcium levels.