As any owner of a pair of high-waisted jeans can attest, trends come and go. However, trends do more than provide yet another outlet for your paycheck. They grant insight into the values, priorities, and challenges of the generations that popularize them. This blog post will explore several lifestyle-driven health trends that have gained momentum, specifically decreased alcohol consumption among younger adults, increased interest in whole and minimally processed foods, growth in natural and simplified beauty routines, and a stronger focus on mental health.
Reduced Alcohol Consumption Among Younger Adults
Some evidence suggests that more members of Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are less likely to consume alcohol than previous generations. A widely cited 2025 study by Gallup found that the percentage of American adults who occasionally consume alcohol has fallen from 60% to 54% in the past five years. This trend is not only occurring in the United States, either. [S]ubstantial declines in adolescent drinking have been observed in many high-income countries over the past two decades, according to a 2020 article published in the European Journal of Public Health.
Changing Perception of Alcohol
Statistics on alcohol consumption decline in young people reveal an overall change in how the substance is perceived. This change is influenced by a number of factors. The internet has allowed more accessibility of medical information, while social media has granted intimate insight into the highs and lows of alcohol consumption. Its possible that having this information from various viewpoints has allowed young people to see the substance in a different light than previous generations. Additionally, the young adults seem to have an increasingly poor view of the health effects of alcohol consumption. For example, 66% of individuals aged 18-34 stated that they perceived that drinking alcohol even in moderation is poor for ones health, as opposed to 48% of individuals in the 55+ age group.
The young people who grew up during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic likely received a much different introduction to alcohol than previous generations. Alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic increased significantlyas individuals tried to cope with emotions of fear, unrest, and boredom, which proliferated during a time of global uncertainty. Its possible that the young people who were growing up surrounded by isolated drinking habits may have dimmed the previously common association of alcohol being a social drug. This sentiment is further supported by the fact that the number of social drinkers has declined. In contexts where the majority of socialization occurs online, this once-famous social lubricant is finding less and less traction among social drinkers.
Rise of Other Substance Use
Of note, while alcohol consumption has declined in young people, the use of other substances, such as marijuana, nicotine vapes, and e-cigarettes, has increased. Therefore, it is possible that younger generations have simply traded one form of substance use for another. For this reason, nurses and other healthcare providers should be cognizant of health risks associated with these forms of substance use. Such examples include cannabis use disorder and psychiatric disorders for marijuana users, and acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma for vape or e-cigarette users.
Increased Interest in Whole and Minimally Processed Foods
In addition to drinking habits, food preferences have also experienced a shift in recent years, specifically toward whole and minimally processed foods. Whole foods are products that have undergone minimal changes while being processed and retain the majority of their original nutritional value. Examples include whole fruits and vegetables, fresh juices, and grains. In contrast, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are products created by complex industrial methods and often contain added spices, dyes, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and stabilizers. Examples of UPFs include soft drinks, salty snacks, and cheeseburgers.
Increased Nutritional Information
The market change can be attributed, in part, to increased nutritional education and publicly available information that has been made available on the internet. For example, many reputable scientific studies have shown a correlation between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and even some cancers. In contrast, proven benefits of consuming whole foods, specifically fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, range from modulating intestinal microbiota to increasing antioxidant polyphenols.
Focus on Sustainability and Environmental Impact
Increased focus on sustainability and environmental impact has also pushed public desire for whole and minimally processed foods. The factors that go into buying a product now include not only the quality of the product, but how it was made, where it comes from, and how its consumption will affect the environment. Environmental considerations, such as concerns about sustainability, climate change, and food waste, are increasingly shaping consumer attitudes toward food choices, one article from the International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts summarizes. For this reason, some individuals have turned to buying local produce from roadside stands and farmers markets. Doing so decreases transportation time, costs, and packaging, and supports small businesses.
Use Caution Regarding Clean Label Products
Perhaps to combat the UPF trends of previous decades, more interest has been placed on ingredient simplicity. This notion is evidenced by the growth of health trends, such as the clean-label movement. The clean label movement is a practice of labeling either the absence of certain ingredients (especially artificial additives) in processed products, or more natural production methods, according to an article published in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science.
However, it should be noted that despite increasing consumer demand for clean label products, a jointly agreed upon definition or specific regulations/legislations does not exist. The term is left up to interpretation for consumers, legislators, and food manufacturers. Therefore, when advising patients about healthy food choices, its important for nurses and healthcare providers to encourage patients to look at the nutritional facts on the back of food containers rather than solely relying on clean and natural labels.
Growth in Natural and Simplified Beauty Routines
Similar to the whole and minimally processed foods health trend, the cosmetic industry is also experiencing an increased demand for natural cosmetics and simplified beauty routines.
Pandemic Grew Demand for Natural Products
This health trend first received traction with the rise of awareness of climate change and animal rights. However, it has grown considerably since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2024 Sage article that analyzed the clean beauty trend in millennials (born between 1980 and 1995) and Generation Z consumers theorizes that the use of facial masks during the pandemic caused skin problems for some individuals, prompting them to seek gentle, natural cosmetic products.
Simplified Beauty Routines
A 2024 global report on beauty and personal care echoes these sentiments: The beauty industry is experiencing a paradigm shift as consumers increasingly seek products that prioritise efficacy and functionality over extravagant packaging and flashy marketing campaigns. The report also speaks about the current health trend of customers simplifying their beauty and personal care collections. It shares the example of customers carefully curating a small range of high-quality essentials instead of amassing an extensive collection of beauty products.
Lack of a Clean Definition Can Cause Consumer Confusion
Like the clean label movement, the lack of an official, enforceable definition of what qualifies as a clean product creates ambiguity for both manufacturers and consumers. This problem especially occurs in the context of branding and labeling. Therefore, healthcare providers should remind patients that while products may be marketed as natural and clean, these descriptions do not necessarily mean a cleaner or even safer product, as natural products can also cause conditions such as contact dermatitis or phytophotodermatitis, a 2022 Surgical and Cosmetic Dermatology article explains.
Strengthened Focus on Mental Well-being
Over the past 50 years, the public perception of mental well-being has changed drastically. While there are still some areas in which mental health remains a taboo subject, there has been a gradual growing acknowledgement of mental well-being as a facet of overall well-being.
Decreased Stigma Has Led to More Open Communication
The importance of mental well-being has come to the forefront of trends for many reasons. Once again, the internet has provided seemingly limitless information regarding studies on mental health, mental well-being, and resources for individuals seeking help. Social media also provides viewers with an intimate look into the lives of millions of individuals including those who have decided to chronicle their mental health struggles and triumphs.
Additionally, the rise of public figures speaking about their own mental health struggles has made the subject more approachable. For example, Elton John, a renowned singer and musician, disclosed in a 2010 interview that he had previously struggled with substance use and disordered eating. Similarly, professional tennis player Serena Williams revealed that she experienced postpartum emotions after giving birth to her daughter in 2017. Having individuals who are admired for their talent speak openly about their mental well-being has resulted in many others feeling encouraged to share their own experiences.
Increased Research and Resources
In just a few decades, the vocabulary around psychology has evolved, and with it, advancements in research, resources, and treatments. What was once hysteria has now been identified as anxiety, depression, and other disorders. What was once the baby blues is now postpartum disorder. What was once shell shock is now post-traumatic stress disorder. Aspergers syndrome has now been classified as autism spectrum disorder. All of these changes serve to increase specificity, clarity, and aid in the classification and treatment of mental disorders.
While mental health awareness and advocacy have been present for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic compounded the problem.[A]n unprecedented surge in mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD arose, a 2025 Cureus article wrote. This surge in mental health challenges increased demand for mental health resources and forced them to be delivered in an unprecedented manner thus, telehealth services were popularized. Although the pandemic has ended, many of these services are still in use and have allowed the widespread reach of mental health professionals to meet with patients worldwide.
Prevalence Inflation Hypothesis and Self-Diagnoses Trends
Although mental health education and advocacy have vastly expanded the resources available to individuals and increased the number of people seeking help, this trend has been criticized. Some experts have noticed that mental well-being education and advocacy have corresponded with a rise in psychological diagnoses and an increasing trend in self-diagnoses.
A 2023 study published in the New Ideas in Psychology coined the term prevalence inflation hypothesis to describe the notion that [mental health] awareness efforts are contributing to this reported increase in mental health problems. The study theorized that widespread information on and advocacy for psychological disorders may lead some individuals to overinterpret mild or transient psychological problems as disorders that must be labeled and treated, thus creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. The prevalence inflation hypothesis, in turn, has received its own criticisms, mainly that more research needs to be conducted to effectively investigate the bidirectional relationship.
Either way, nurses and healthcare providers should take advantage of increased information and resources to provide patients with the most applicable services. These resources may vary from national services, such as the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, to local organizations, such as those provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services FindTreatment.gov, which is an area code-based look-up resource for substance use and mental health treatment centers.
Conclusion
This blog article provided an overview of certain health trends that have gained popularity in recent years. These trends included decreased alcohol consumption among younger adults, increased interest in whole and minimally processed foods, growth in natural and simplified beauty routines, and a stronger focus on mental health. Identifying and analyzing these health trends allows healthcare providers to reflect on changing attitudes toward patients' health and self-care. Whether the trends are here to stay or will be gone by next month, nurses and healthcare providers should be aware of healthcare trends to anticipate patient knowledge gaps and future potential medical needs.
About the Author:
Savannah Schmidt is a medical content writer and editor with five years of professional experience. She has a BA in English Literature and has had a hand in creating, editing, and publishing over 500 pieces of content for CEUs for healthcare and medical coding professionals.
Savannah is an independent contributor to CEUfast's Nursing Blog Program. Please note that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of the independent contributor and do not necessarily represent those of CEUfast. This blog post is not medical advice. Always consult with your personal healthcare provider for any health-related questions or concerns.
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