In 2024, the number of Russians committed to a healthy lifestyle increased by 6%, reaching 11.8 million people, according to recent data. This marks the second consecutive year of growth following a decline in 2022, though the figures still fall short of pre-pandemic levels.
The most significant growth in "strict" adherents to healthy living was observed in Adygea, where the number of health-conscious individuals surged more than sevenfold. Other regions with notable increases include Magadan, the Jewish Autonomous Region, Ulyanovsk, Kaliningrad, Karachay-Cherkessia, Primorsky Krai, St. Petersburg, Vladimir, and Belgorod, where the number of health enthusiasts doubled or tripled.
Adygea leads the nation, with 36.9% of its population aged 15 and older following healthy lifestyle principles. Conversely, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug experienced the sharpest decline, with the number of strict adherents dropping 14-fold. Other regions with negative trends include Udmurtia, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Murmansk, Pskov, Ivanovo, North Ossetia, Bryansk, Lipetsk, and Sakhalin, where the number of health-conscious individuals decreased by 1.5 to 2 times.
Analysts define health enthusiasts as individuals who consume significant amounts of fruits and vegetables, limit salt and alcohol intake, avoid smoking, and engage in daily physical activity. By the end of 2024, this group accounted for 9.7% of the population aged 15 and older.
Meanwhile, 38% of Russians remain indifferent to their health, a figure unchanged from the previous year. Notably, only half of this group—22.5 million people—struggle with tobacco addiction. Women are 1.7 times more likely than men to adopt healthy lifestyle practices.
