Generation Z: Who the Health Are They?

Who is Gen Z?

According to Pew Research Center, Gen Z was born from 1997 to 2012, making them (in 2019) 7 to 22 years old. Gen Z makes up 23% of the U.S. population--that’s over 68 million Americans. Almost half (46%) of Gen Zers are racial/ethnic minorities (one in four are Hispanic), making this generation the most diverse yet.

Gen Z grew up during the age of mobile broadband and WiFi technology, mobile devices, mobile applications, and social media. While other generations (i.e., Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials) had to adapt to these innovative technologies, platforms, and methods of accessing the internet, for Gen Z, these innovations were native. As such, Gen Z is accustomed to constant connectivity and the ability to access entertainment and information on-demand.

Gen Z also grew up during the Great Recession of 2008, which has made them more financially conservative. Additionally, Gen Zers have been all too familiar with gun violence, making them the most likely generation to report experiencing poor mental health and seeking treatment and therapy. 

What is important to Gen Z?

Community and connectivity. Nine in 10 Gen Z teens report having access to a computer or smartphone and using the internet multiple times per day or more. With the ubiquity of technology, there is less distinction between virtual and physical spaces. Over 25% of Gen Z respondents in one study reported seeing no difference between their online and offline selves. Gen Zers are connecting with their existing networks and building new connections online. 
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Diversity and equality. Gen Z is interested in equality, including race, gender and income. For example, Gen Zers, like Millennials, are more likely than older generations to to see increasing racial and ethnic diversity and allowing same-sex marriage as good things for society. White Gen Zers are also far more likely than whites of prior generations to say black people are not receiving fair treatment.

Ethics and social responsibility. As a generation that mobilizes for a variety of causes, Gen Z wants the government to do more to solve social issues and expects brands to use ethical and socially responsible practices.

Individual expression and inclusion. In one study, Gen Z respondents chose “open-mindedness” as their top generational trait. They are a generation that avoids labels and values gender fluidity. Thirty-five percent of Gen Z reports personally knowing someone who prefers to be referred to with gender-neutral pronouns. This is significantly higher than the percentage of Millennials and Baby Boomers who report knowing such a person. Additionally, half of Gen Zers feel like society isn’t accepting enough of non-binary individuals.

Pragmatism and independence. Gen Zers are earning money at an earlier age, and have high entrepreneurial aspirations for the future. A common source of income for Gen Z is freelancing or a side-hustle. One study found that 47 percent of older Gen Zers (ages 18-21) freelance, and another study found that around 70% of teens are self-employed.

What are Gen Z’s health-related attitudes, beliefs, values, and behaviors?

Gen Zers have a holistic view of health. They recognize how factors such as social and emotional wellness, sleep and stress affect their physical wellness. Balance is a primary health goal for this generation. And for teen Gen Zers, both feeling good and looking good are key indicators of good health.

Looking at each of the eight dimensions of wellness:

Financial Wellness
Gen Zers have had a front seat to the student debt crisis and the Great Recession, and are starting to save earlier than previous generations. They are avoiding debt whenever possible, and are using mobile apps to manage their budgets and save emergency funds. Moreover, some are already saving for retirement. They are trying to build current and future financial security, but also desire fulfilling careers. They are practical and conservative with their money, but, with that being said, are willing to pay for premium health and wellness lifestyle products.

Spiritual Wellness
In one study, 80% of the respondents (these included Gen Zers and Millennials) believed in spirituality and cosmic power. However, given Gen Z’s views on individual expression, there is some distrust of organized religion and reluctance to prescribe to religious labels. For instance, a study by the Barna Group found that only 20% of Gen Z believes going to church is important -- this is not far off from Millennials, who are far less likely to identify with a religious group than older generations.

Emotional Wellness
Stress management and mental health are key health concerns for Gen Z. Almost half of Gen Zers are actively preventing or treating anxiety and stress. Self-care activities like exercising and getting enough sleep are key Gen Z stress management techniques.

Intellectual Wellness 
Though Gen Zers are more likely to be in college, they are also self-learners. With their high level of digital connectivity, they can online to research available information of interest.

Physical Wellness
In a global study, 68% of Gen Zers felt that a well-balanced diet is critical to their health and wellness. Gen Z young adults want healthy food options that are portable, easy-to-prepare, and generally convenient; and they are willing to pay more for organic, natural, and no-preservatives foods. They are also more likely to be vegetarian.

In 2018, Gen Z accounted for 38% of all gym sign-ups globally. According to another global study, almost half (49%) of Gen Zers work out one to three times a week. When Gen Zers in US high schools were asked if they were physically active for 60 minutes on five or more days in the last seven days in 2017, less than half said yes. Additionally, only a quarter of them reported getting eight or more hours of sleep on an average school night.

While most illicit drug use is down for Gen Z teens, Gen Z is two times more likely to use cannabis than other generations. Gen Zers have grown up in a time where marijuana legalization and decriminalization are becoming more common, so it is no surprise that marijuana use among older Gen Zers has reached an all-time high. In 2018, almost 20% of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders reported vaping a substance (e.g., nicotine, flavoring, and even marijuana) in the past month; and the percentage of college students who reported nicotine vaping in the past month doubled. Meanwhile, binge drinking rates have leveled off for teen Gen Zers, and one study found that college-aged Gen Zers drink 20% less per capita than college-aged millennials did--and they expect to drink less frequently as they age.

Environmental Wellness
Gen Z has grown up amidst much debate about climate change and global warming. A Pew Research Center survey found that more than half of Gen Zers (54%) believe the Earth is getting warmer because of human activity. In a global sustainability survey, 40% of Gen Zers named climate change as “the biggest threat to the world within a decade,” and 81% felt that business and government are equally responsible for developing renewable energy and clean technology.
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Gen Zers are also concerned with fair land use, land conservation, pollution, limited natural resources, and global warming. They are also conscious consumers; they recycle and take action to reduce their energy use. They believe it is important for the companies and brands they support to be environmentally friendly. In fact, they have spent more to purchase products from sustainable companies and have boycotted companies they believe are using unsustainable practices.

Occupational Wellness
Gen Z teens say that having a job or career they enjoy and helping people in need are top priorities for their adult lives. For Gen Zers, companies also have a responsibility to address both environmental and social issues, so Gen Z is looking for opportunities to give back through their employers. Given Gen Z’s beliefs and expectations around equality, inclusivity, and open dialogue, diversity and inclusion in staffing and leadership and corporate activities and employee benefits that foster a sense of community are essential in the workplace. Additionally, flexibility in being able to access work-related information, connect with colleagues, and perform work-related tasks both in-person and via mobile technology is key.

Social Wellness
​Gen Z’s sense of community spans the physical and virtual worlds. They are connecting with family, friends, and new people via instant messaging and social media, social/messaging apps, and specialized online communities. Gen Zers have mixed views on how social media is impacting their lives, and a growing preference for and trust of online communities that are specialized and decentralized (e.g., online forums and affinity networks).

What does Gen Z want from healthcare?

• Quality improvement. Gen Z is the least likely generation to have a primary care physician. Gen Zers aren’t satisfied with the quality of our current healthcare model, and are on the lookout for alternative service models that are effective, convenient, efficient, and transparent.
• Wellness practices. Given Gen Zers’ holistic view of health, they are more willing to consider alternative medicine, like acupuncture.
• ​Digital capabilities. Technology plays a key in how Gen Z engages with health information, performs and tracks health-related behaviors, and accesses healthcare services. Gen Zers are more likely than previous generations to choose health providers that offer the ability to access test results and renew prescriptions online.

What are Gen Z’s health outcomes?

From 2016-2017, 45% of adolescents (ages 12-17) had at least one chronic health condition; 25 percent had two or more chronic conditions.

• Asthma is the most common chronic condition among teens -- 23% of high school students in 2017 had asthma.
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were experienced by 13% of teens in 2016-2017.
• Bullying. In 2017, 19% of high school students reported experiencing bullying at school.
• Depressive symptoms were reported by 32% of high school students in 2017.
• Obesity. In 2015-16, 21% of youth ages 12 to 19 were categorized as obese.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more prevalent among adolescents than other age groups. Youth ages 15-24 account for half of the 20 million new STI cases in the U.S. each year.

The leading causes of death for Gen Zers ages 12-19 are:

• Accidents (unintentional injuries) -- 48%
• Homicide -- 13%
• Suicide -- 11%
• Cancer -- 6%
• Heart disease -- 3%

By 2020, Gen Zers are estimated to comprise 40% of all U.S. consumers. They represent future leaders, both in public health and in general. Their influence on culture and industry warrants our attention and consideration. Understanding Gen Z can help public health to better prepare for future health issues, needs, resources, and solutions. The more we know about Gen Z, the better we can communicate and collaborate with them.
 
The data in this post are representative of Gen Zers in the US, unless otherwise noted (e.g., data from international or global samples). The trends included in this post may change as more research is conducted with Gen Z. Additionally, these trends are high-level, and may differ when examined by segments of the Gen Z population (e.g., specific racial/ethnic groups, ages, and geographic locations).

Last updated: January 6, 2020

 By: Monique Thornton, MPH

About the Author

Founder and CEO at Let's Talk Public Health. I'm a public health communication and marketing professional fusing creative writing, health communication, public health, and behavior change theory. Let's talk social and digital media, edutainment, product development, and digital health.