With 2020 drawing to a close and a new year fast approaching, it’s time to look ahead to the key men’s health trends to watch out for in 2021. There’s no denying that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has well and truly changed just about every aspect of the way we live – from the way we work and exercise, to how we eat, drink and socialise.
After an unusual year where almost everything took an unexpected turn, often with a detrimental impact on people’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, it’s likely that the next year will put a distinct focus on getting all three back to their optimum levels.
With many gyms still closed and exercise classes off the agenda thanks to ongoing social distancing rules, fitness fanatics in particular might be wondering how the landscape is set to change moving forward. As always, there will likely be fads that come and go – but in 2021, we’ll see a more holistic approach to overall men’s health in a way that we’ve never quite seen before.
Technology, no doubt, will continue to influence the way we approach and monitor a healthy lifestyle – but what exactly can we expect come January?
Here are the top men’s health and wellness trends that should be on your radar.
Male plant-based diet advocates will surge
Plant-based diets have been an ongoing trend for some time now, with more people now claiming to be vegan worldwide than ever before. While previously this was largely accounted for by the female population, 2020 Netflix documentary The Game Changers saw things take a decidedly more masculine turn after shining a spotlight on the potential benefits when it came to training, gaining and men’s sexual health – and it’s a trend that is expected to continue gathering momentum in 2021 as the male plant-based population expands.
Championed by elite athletes including runner Scott Jurek and martial artist Conor McGregor, both of whom claim to have seen impressive enhancements to their performance as a result, the eco-conscious male now has one more reason to take the leap, and with plant-based eating having well and truly shaken free of the militant stigma it was once attached to, more and more men are taking note.
Men will begin to talk more openly about mental health
Men’s mental health has been the subject of many a wide-scale campaign over the past couple of years, and with good reason. Suicide was revealed to be the single biggest killer amongst men aged between 20 and 30, shining on the spotlight for the increased need for male mental health support in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
Historically, men have been reluctant to open up and talk about their feelings for fear of the impact this might have on their perceived ‘manliness’. But as these stigmas, too, continue to be broken down, we can expect to see more men prioritising their mental health than ever, and finally being more willing to seek professional health where required.
One area where improvements are still needed is in the workplace, where mental health support for both men and women has been traditionally sub-par. In 2021, we’ll see a rise in the number of businesses offering mental health support programmes to staff, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the devastation it has left in its wake – with company cultures focusing more on talking openly about the topic.
CBD will become more mainstream
From creams and foods to high-strength CBD oils, expect to see a lot more of this natural remedy flying off the shelves and into your home this year. CBD has been rapidly growing in popularity in recent years after it was first introduced and the uptake in sales with a range of businesses getting involves proves that the trend is here to stay.
Gone are the days when you would consume CBD in oil form only, there are now a myriad of ways to consume and use this hemp derived remedy, whether you use it to soothe aches and pains, anxieties or sleep deprivation.
Sexual health will become less of a taboo topic, too
As you’ve probably gathered by now, the over-arching trend in men’s health and wellness for 2021 is the breaking down of stigmas, with no topic considered off limits as we talk more openly about our struggles than ever.
Much like with mental health, many men tend to suffer in silence when it comes to sexual health issues, but in 2021, we’ll see more people speaking up in a bid to help others who might be going through the same thing, and a normalisation of the common issues many suffer, but that currently, few ever talk about.
Impotence and decreased longevity will no longer be considered a source of shame, and treatments will be made more accessible for men who are in need of a little support. And, in a world where sex toys have been deemed normal for women since the turn of the millennium, we’ll begin to talk more openly about sex toys for men, too.
Remote fitness will reign supreme
In a year where gyms have been closed and fitness classes have largely been made off limits, we’ve been forced to embrace a whole new way of working out, with many investing in their own equipment which can be used to keep fit at home.
The pandemic has seen a sharp increase in the number of fitness professionals offering remote classes to those in need of a little extra motivation, and this has paved the way for a permanent shift that will take working out digital for the long-term.
Peloton’s spin bike, which allows users to take part in online fitness sessions with others across the globe, has become immensely popular in 2020 and we can soon expect other sports equipment manufacturers to follow suit. And, with many remaining wary of traditional gym facilities even when they do reopen, we’ll see the home market continue to grow throughout 2021.
