In late 2023, Bloomberg business magazine reported that the global wellness market was now worth 5.6 trillion USD.[1] This so-called “wellness” industry represents a host of products and services related not just to fitness and nutrition but also to overall physical and mental health and appearance. There are countless examples of how the wellness industry continues to sell itself: juice bars, detox diets, mindfulness apps, active and leisure wear, meditation retreats, and countless nutritional and health supplements.
In recent years, the wellness industry has been criticized for using pseudoscience to sell products and for prioritizing profit over ensuring that what they are selling has genuine health benefits. As mental health practitioners, we have a responsibility to examine the wellness industry and highlight the ways it can be harmful, especially to those who may be struggling with disordered eating. I believe it is more helpful to emphasize and cultivate well-being – a critical feature of good mental health – than wellness.
What is the Wellness Industry?
The wellness industry is not new – historians suggest that the idea of “wellness” we have today originated in the late 1800s as newly affluent Europeans sought to fight against “inactivity and indulgence” by pursuing fit physiques and restrained habits of diet. This is how the idea of health – a word which originally meant simply “not sick” – became associated with a physically fit body and constant self-improvement. These wealthy Europeans in the nineteenth century engaged in many of the same practices we associate with wellness today: they bought self-improvement books, practiced vegetarianism, went on health retreats, and bought specific workout attire.[2]
Today, the wellness industry is familiar to all of us, whether in the form of SoulCycle classes or specialty mushroom coffee designed to keep you awake in a more “natural” way. These products and services claim to be a way to care for yourself and promote wellness, and while there is nothing wrong with exploring the benefits of an exercise class or a different type of coffee, certain aspects of the wellness industry present very real dangers, especially to those struggling with mental health conditions. This is especially true with regard to the diet and fitness side of the wellness industry where being physically fit is often equated with being conventionally attractive. As philosopher Heather Widdows argues, the wellness industry has the worrying habit of transforming our weight and appearance into markers of our “health,” meaning we feel we have to look a certain way to be perceived as healthy. [3]
The Dangers of the Wellness Industry
The transformation of physical attractiveness into perceptions of health has obvious dangers for those who are struggling with disordered eating of any kind; the underlying message the wellness industry conveys is that thinness is ideal. What’s more, there is an implication that gaining weight is a failure. Many of the specialty diets or health programs sold as part of the wellness industry involve restrictive or selective eating and promote unhealthy relationships with food. In addition, the type of moralizing language that the wellness industry often employs – good foods, bad foods, etc. – can cause low self-esteem, guilt, and shame about eating.
For those who are struggling with any type of eating disorder, all of this can be extremely harmful. Many eating disorders focus on controlling or restricting diet. For instance, anorexia nervosa sufferers limit food or cease eating altogether, and those with bulimia nervosa binge and then purge through vomiting. However, perhaps the greatest risk is presented to those who are struggling with orthorexia.
Though not yet an officially recognized eating disorder, orthorexia nervosa is a proposed form of ED first recognized in 1997 as an excessive preoccupation with eating healthy food. Individuals struggling with orthorexia become obsessively fixated on consuming only natural, or “clean” foods; this directly reflects the type of language used in the wellness industry to promote diets, supplements, and other products. Unfortunately, in many cases orthorexia does not get recognized because of the myths propagated for profit by the wellness industry – individuals struggling with orthorexia seem to be adhering to the type of “wellness-based” lifestyle being advertised on Instagram and beyond.[5]
The wellness industry also makes treating orthorexia exceptionally difficult, since many wellness industry proponents use unverified scientific claims and testimonials to assert that the products or diets they recommend are healthier or more natural than what’s traditionally available on the shelf.
Well-being over Wellness
There’s no harm in practicing healthy living, but when it comes to the wellness industry, there is a risk in adhering too strictly to the moral imperative to be healthy and fit that is being sold by companies who profit from these beliefs.
While physical health is important to mental health, there are better ways to go about achieving it. Rather than focusing on wellness, we should be prioritizing well-being, and all of the things we can accomplish for ourselves in small ways on a day-to-day basis. Many of the mental health benefits of exercise and a balanced diet can be enjoyed in moderation, without the purchase of specialty foods, beverages, or gym wear. Simply taking a daily walk and drinking more water is a good start.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with disordered eating, reach out. Our compassionate and highly trained team is here to help.
Sources:
[2] Blei, D. (2017) ‘The False Promises of Wellness Culture.’ JSTOR Daily. January 4. https://daily.jstor.org/the-false-promises-of-wellness-culture/
[3] McBain, S. (2020) ‘The dark side of the wellness industry’. The New Statesman. 17 June. https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2020/06/dark-side-wellness-industry
[4] Haltom, C. E. (2024) Cautions about the wellness industry and eating disorders. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/navigating-the-maze/202410/cautions-about-the-wellness-industry-and-eating-disorders. Oct 15.
