• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, September 23, 2024

Irony, thy name is wellness. Lululemon has just released its fourth Global Wellbeing Report, looking at how people worldwide are doing, and the news isn’t good. While 89% of people say they are taking more action than a year ago to improve their health, two-thirds say they are struggling to keep up. And almost half of the respondents say they’ve experienced “wellbeing burnout.”

The Vancouver-based apparel company says its Wellbeing Index Scores, which track different physical, mental and social dimensions, “have remained stagnant globally over the past four years.”

Among this year’s findings? All that stretching, walking, flossing, and sleep tracking may be wearing us out, with some 61% saying they feel “overwhelming societal expectations to appear well.”

Information overload is part of the problem, with 53% saying that much of the information about well-being is conflictual.

Lululemon first launched its benchmark study in 2021, spurred by COVID and its impact on wellness around the world. This version included 16,000 people in 15 markets across the globe. 

“By sharing these insights, we hope to stimulate conversations and encourage people to reflect on how to support their wellbeing,” said Calvin McDonald, Lululemon’s chief executive officer, in the announcement. “The data shows us that moving with others and feeling a sense of community can positively impact how a person feels, and we look forward to bringing our guests and communities around the world together throughout the year to do just that.”

The research does offer three compelling data points for those who want to feel better:

*People who practice meditation report 12% higher wellbeing than those who don’t.
*Move at your own pace, but every day. Those who move their body a little throughout the day report 16% higher wellbeing.
*Get connected. Those who use physical activity to socialize report a 23% higher wellbeing.

Lululemon also announced a $3.1 million commitment to mental health, with funds going to such organizations as the Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health led by UNICEF and the National Alliance on Mental Health.

Leading up to World Mental Health Day, which is Oct. 10, the company is hosting free movement-based community activations around the world.

Among them are “The Wellbeing Garden” at the Shanghai Start Museum and a two-day wellbeing mini festival in Seoul. In the U.K., it will dedicate 10% of sales revenue to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a suicide prevention charity.

In North America, over 500 Lululemon stores will set up playdates on Oct. 10, offering free, play-inspired activities hosted by hundreds of ambassadors.

That includes a “larger-than-life playground takeover” at its 5th Avenue store in New York, with participation triggering donations to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.