BCG report highlights global longevity paradox, India leads in digital health adoption – Express Healthcare

The global population is ageing, yet only 12 per cent of people worldwide orient their lifestyle around healthy ageing, despite a strong desire to live longer and healthier lives. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) refers to this as the “longevity paradox” in its latest report.

The report, titled “The Longevity Paradox: Why We Don’t Plan for Healthy Aging Before It’s Too Late”, surveyed 9,350 respondents across 19 countries about their health habits and ambitions.

Commenting on the findings, Parul Bajaj, Managing Director & Partner, India Lead – Marketing, Sales & Pricing Practice (MSP), BCG said, “While the science of longevity is advancing rapidly, our research shows that only 12 per cent of people globally are proactively planning for longer, healthier lives. In India, however, we see a unique opportunity—consumers here are among the fastest adopters of digital health solutions, with nearly 70 per cent using wearables, apps, and tech-based tools, and one in four already engaging with AI-powered health agents. This digital-first mindset positions India at the forefront of reimagining healthy aging, even as challenges remain in making these solutions accessible across income groups. The Longevity Paradox reminds us that longevity is not just about extending years, but about living those years with purpose, vitality, and independence—and India’s embrace of technology could make it a global testbed for scaling healthy aging innovations.”

Key findings include:

• Health “homework”: Survey respondents prioritise physical health (29 per cent), diet (25 per cent), and exercise and sleep (22 per cent), but fewer focus on staying mentally and creatively stimulated (19 per cent). This makes healthy aging feel like endless self-improvement tasks—which rarely inspire long-lasting change.
• AI as a health coach: There are a growing number of AI-powered personal health agents. In India and Indonesia, 1 in 4 already use AI-powered health tools. AI adoption is growing in China (20 per cent), Switzerland (14 per cent), and Germany (10 per cent).

• Younger people care about their health, but lack consistency: They experiment more with wellness trends and health-tracking technology, but they’re also more likely to eat in front of the TV and doomscroll on social media. Plus, they’re 2x as likely as old generations to report feeling burnout.

India Specific Findings:

• India ranks first among all countries surveyed in prioritising longevity, with nearly half the population taking at least some action.
• Largest gap seen in younger generations, which are especially aware in the country vs the global average
• India leads in longevity intervention adoption, especially those related to Natural Remedies, Wearable Health Trackers and AI-supported solutions
• India leads in adoption of AI-powered health tools with 25 per cent adoption and is in Top 3 countries with highest adoption of wearables and trackers with 32 per cent
• 71 per cent of respondents have used at least one tech intervention, vs a 55 per cent global average
• Despite population’s focus on Longevity, there is still opportunity to improve food literacy around unhealthy dietary choices
• Up to 25 per cent of respondents identify some of the unhealthier options as healthy, or very healthy, 5-7pp higher than the global average
• Indian consumers are less constrained by privacy concerns, making them more open to digital-first health engagement. However, affordability and accessibility remain critical barriers for lower-income segments.
• Indian youth mirror the global trend—high interest in experimentation with health apps and wellness, but also vulnerable to stress, burnout, and inconsistent healthy practices