A new report by Prudential Hong Kong Ltd has revealed significant differences in health awareness levels across the Greater Bay Area (GBA), with residents of Hong Kong and Macau displaying lower health engagement than their mainland counterparts.
The findings indicate that while many Hongkongers recognise the importance of health, fewer translate this awareness into active health management, according to the insurer’s Health Awareness Study.
The study, which explored health attitudes and behaviours in the GBA, found that overall health awareness scores averaged 83.2 for GBA residents.
However, mainland GBA respondents led with an 88.2 average, while Hong Kong and Macau scored 79.8 and 79.4, respectively.
In Hong Kong, 20% of respondents rated their health awareness as “medium to low,” compared to just 5% on the mainland, underscoring a gap in health engagement.
Prudential’s study based health awareness on factors including health-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviour.
Respondents in the mainland GBA, for instance, reported a high level of regular exercise (91%) as part of their health routines, while 80% of Hongkongers focused on body image. Seeking health information also varied widely; 87% of mainland GBA residents actively sought health information, compared to just 65% in Hong Kong.
The report highlighted a recurring challenge: despite 82% of GBA respondents expressing a commitment to stay healthy, this often doesn’t translate into consistent action.
For example, while 79% of GBA respondents believe in the value of natural or organic food, only 54% had consumed it recently – a gap of 25 percentage points. In Hong Kong, the gap is even wider, at 32 points.
Similarly, 82% of GBA respondents acknowledge the mental health benefits of social connections, but only 67% of Hongkongers report regularly socializing with friends, indicating a divide between intention and action.
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The gap between health awareness and actual behaviours narrows for those with higher health awareness scores.
Among respondents with top health awareness scores (90 to 100 points), there was only a seven-percentage-point difference between those who believe in the benefits of exercise and those who exercise regularly. By contrast, respondents with medium-to-low awareness (0 to 69 points) exhibited a 28-percentage-point gap.
The study also found that lower-income respondents and those who are single tend to have lower health awareness scores and larger gaps between awareness and action.
Candy Au Yeung (pictured), chief customer operations and health officer at Prudential Hong Kong, noted that while most GBA residents recognise the value of health, many do not take the next step of building health-promoting habits.
“Overall, just 72% of respondents admit to taking tangible steps to maintain their health, a proportion that shrinks to 67% among Hong Kong residents. This reinforces the pressing need for the public to build healthy habits into daily routines and recognise the importance of consistent action to achieve a genuinely healthy lifestyle,” she said.
