Digital Health Trends 2026
Top 3 things you need to know
1. Americans continue to embrace digital health devices and apps
%
Have adopted health-related apps
(-1% vs. 2024, + 10% vs. 2022, +16% vs 2021)
%
Have adopted health-related devices
(-2% vs. 2024, +8% vs. 2022, +16% vs. 2021)
Americans are most likely to be tracking biometrics, physical activity, & sleep.
Top Health Aspects Tracked
%
Biometrics
%
Physical Activity
%
Sleep
Younger Americans focus on sleep; older Americans lean into biometrics.
Holistic wearables gain traction in 2026, speaking to an appetite for tracking beyond physical activity.
Top Health-related Devices Used
Holistic wearable ⌚
- 2021 14%
- 2022 18%
- 2024 20%
- 2026 ⬆️ 24%
Fitness-oriented wearable 🏊
- 2021 30%
- 2022 29%
- 2024 28%
- 2026 22%
Smart scale ⚖️
- 2021 14%
- 2022 15%
- 2024 19%
- 2026 20%
Smart home health device 🏠
- 2021 18%
- 2022 21%
- 2024 21%
- 2026 19%
⬆️ Significantly higher than 2024 wave at 95% CL
Fitness, sleep, and nutrition apps hold strong in 2026. Mental health apps pop for younger Americans, and Gen Z leans into women’s health.
Top Digital Health Apps Used by Generation
GEN Z
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 43%
- Fertility & women’s health ♀️ 38%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 26%
- Mental health 🧠 23%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 21%
MILLENNIALS
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 44%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 25%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 23%
- Mental health 🧠 22%
- Stress management 💭 14%
Gen X
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 31%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 23%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 17%
- Mental health 🧠 13%
- Stress management 💭 13%
BABY BOOMER
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 29%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 21%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 14%
- Symptom checker 🤒 12%
- Medical appt booking 🩺 10%
2. Americans want digital health tech that delivers accurate tracking and ease.
Outcomes that matter most…
%
Ability to track progress over time
%
Delivers measurable & accurate data
%
Offers convenience & ease of use
%
Keeps me motivated & accountable
%
Helps me feel more in control of my health
Digital health tools have become essential. If deprived of them, Americans fear a loss of controlled routine, and move quickly to replace.
If you suddenly could not use our digital health tracking devices or apps, what would happen?
Immediate emotional consequences: stress, anxiety, disorientation
“I would be very upset if I could not use them anymore, because my peace of mind in not having to worry about what is wrong with me health-wise would decrease at a significant rate.” Gen Z, Female
“If I suddenly couldn’t use my digital health tracking devices or apps anymore, I’d honestly feel a bit disoriented at first. I’ve gotten used to checking things like my steps, sleep quality, stress levels, and heart rate throughout the day, so losing that would feel like losing a part of my routine.” Gen Z, Male
Loss of reassurance, control, and confidence in their health management
“I would be disappointed and feel like I loss some agency over my own health. I rely on technology to track a lot of things, so I would not enjoy the loss of control.” Millennial, Female
“If I could no longer use them I would feel like I would lose a sense of control over my health. I use these apps a lot to track workouts, steps, calories, etc. Not being able to know these things about my health journey would ultimately feel blind while working out and unsure if I’m doing good.” Gen Z, Female
Less adherence to health behaviors: exercise less, eat worse, and lose motivation
“If I couldn’t use my smart watch I know I would be more sedentary. I use the step counter daily. It keeps me motivated to meet or beat my goal for the day.” Gen X, Female
“I would not be able to track calories/nutrients very well. I would forget or just choose not to do it because it would take too much time.” Gen Z, Female
Replace, adapt, or shift...but manual tracking feels difficult and unreliable
“I would be upset and would look for an alternative option asap.” Millennial, Male
“I would feel very frustrated and disappointed. I will look for alternatives that would be a good replacement.” Gen X, Female
“I would probably track them on paper, but I wouldn’t have the accuracy of a digital tracker.” Gen Z, Female
Hear directly from consumers about suddenly losing access to their digital health tracking devices or apps.
Gen Z
Gen X
Millennial
3. Americans' appetite for tech-enabled health is here to stay.
%
want to see more technology in health & wellness management in the next 5-10 years
%
want to see the same amount of tech in health in the next 5-10 years⬆️
⬆️ Significantly higher than 2024 wave at 95% CL
Future interest in digital health devices remains strong, as emerging tech like smart rings and glasses gain traction.
Top Digital Health Devices of Interest
Smart ring💍
- 2024 34%
- 2026 ⬆️ 39%
Fitness oriented wearable tracker ⌚
- 2024 45%
- 2026 36%
Holistic wearable device🧘
- 2024 34%
- 2026 36%
Smart home devices 🏠
- 2024 42%
- 2026 35%
Smart glasses 👓
- 2024 16%
- 2026 21%
⬆️ Significantly higher than 2024 wave at 95% CL
Future interest in apps is split by generation: Gen Z favors lifestyle and mental wellness, while Baby Boomers prioritize medical management.
GEN Z
- Sleep monitoring 💤 51%
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 48%
- Mental health 💚 46%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 42%
- Stress management 💭 38%
- Medical appt booking 🩺 25%
MILLENNIALS
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 46%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 46%
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 40%
- Stress management 💭 39%
- Medical appt booking 🩺 28%
- Brain health 🧠 25%
Gen X
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 43%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 38%
- Stress management 💭 35%
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 34%
- Mental health 💚 33%
- Symptom checker 🤒 25%
BABY BOOMER
- Nutrition / Weight control 🥬 39%
- Sleep monitoring 💤 35%
- Fitness 🏃♀️ 33%
- Symptom checker 🤒 29%
- Condition management 📃 26%
- Medication management 💊 25%
Meanwhile, interest in digital health services cools year-over-year, particularly for telehealth, online pharmacy, and DNA testing.
Interest in Digital Health Services
2024
- Telehealth services 48%
- Online / Direct to consumer pharmacy 41%
- DNA testing 40%
- Meal planning / prep services 39%
- Health & wellness focused online community 31%
- Subscription fitness courses 22%
- Disease/clinical condition related discussion forum 20%
2026
- Telehealth services 41%
- Meal planning / prep services 32%
- Online / Direct to consumer pharmacy 30%
- DNA testing 25%
- Health & wellness focused online community 22%
- Subscription fitness courses 18%
- Disease/clinical condition related discussion forum 11%
In Conclusion...
A word on our approach
This study was conducted using our proprietary mobile-first, conversational based platform that allows for the capture robust quant data and emotive qualitative insights, all in one seamless experience. We’ve found that this approach facilitates greater disclosure on sensitive topics, and ultimately produces deeper, richer insights that can drive better business decisions.
This research was fielded in December 2025. We engaged with 1,043 Americans, aged 18+, nationally-representative.
