The United States' well-being market is now worth $1.2 trillion, up 5 percent from a year ago, according to a new global wellness report released by consumer-data firm Circana on October 13, 2026. The report, The Global Health & Wellness Market: The Next Wave of Growth, finds that more than nine in ten consumers across the US, UK and Australia now treat wellness as a priority — but what they actually do about it varies sharply by market.
Ease, not motivation, is the battleground
"Consumers have made wellness a priority, and they are spending accordingly," said Sally Lyons Wyatt, Circana's global executive vice president and chief advisor. "The challenge now is follow-through. People are not short on motivation. They are short on time, direction, and simple next steps." The report argues that the brands and retailers that "take the work out of the routine" and make the healthier choice the easier one will lead the next wave of growth.
Functional nutrition is now an everyday priority: half of US adults are trying to consume more protein, up eight percentage points year over year. Meanwhile, GLP-1 weight-loss medications are changing appetites and portion sizes — a shift the report says is rippling through food manufacturers and restaurants alike.
How the US, UK and Australia differ
The three markets share the ambition but not the habits. British consumers are more likely than Americans to report getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and managing their weight. Australian consumers are the most likely to include home and environmental activities in their self-care routines. Prepared healthy meals reach 38 percent of consumers in the UK, compared with just 23 percent in the US — a gap Circana says underscores how wellness offerings must be tailored market by market.
The findings land as wellness tourism keeps booming: the global wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion, according to the Global Wellness Institute, growing 6.2 percent a year between 2019 and 2024, while two-thirds of travellers say food and wine experiences matter more to them than they did five years ago.
What it means for shoppers
Expect simpler wellness products, more personalised nutrition options, and retailers competing on convenience — pre-portioned, protein-forward and clearly labelled choices that need no lifestyle overhaul. With 90 percent-plus of consumers calling wellness a priority, the report's core message is that the next $1 trillion is won not by inspiring people, but by removing friction.
Watch: YouTube search: videos on global wellness market trends and the 2026 wellness boom
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