October 19, 2026
One in three Australians are now tracking every step, sleep and workout, with wearable technology fast becoming one of the nation's most popular preventative health tools.
The latest Bupa Pulse Check found fitness and activity tracking platforms such as Fitbit, Apple Health and Strava are Australia's most popular digital health tools, ahead of telehealth, meditation and nutrition apps.
The study also found younger Aussies are leading the wearables trend with 45% aged 40 and under monitoring their health and fitness using apps or wearable devices, compared with 29% of Australians aged 50 and above.
The national survey of 2000 Australians also found two in three Australians said the most valuable feature in a health and wellbeing app was the ability to track sleep, physical activity and nutrition, making it the most sought-after health initiative ahead of rewards programs, trusted health information, and personalised recommendations.
GP, and Bupa Clinical Innovation General Manager, Dr Janice Tan, said Aussies had moved beyond simply counting steps and were increasingly using wearable technology to build a more complete picture of their overall health and wellbeing.
“As a GP, I'm seeing more patients come in with health data from their smartwatches and fitness trackers,” Dr Tan said.
“Recently, one patient was worried about their high resting heart rate, but after looking into it a little deeper, we discovered the issue was actually dehydration, which can affect heart rate and other health conditions.
“Wearables and AI are making it easier than ever for people to access health information. They can support more informed conversations with healthcare professionals but should never be used to self-diagnose or replace professional medical advice.”
The Australian wearables market is expected to grow from US$4.49 billion in 2026 to US$8.09 billion by 2031, an annual growth rate of 12.5%.[1]
Dr Tan said wearables provided useful data, especially in between GP visits, but a meaningful relationship with a person’s doctor would always be one of the most powerful tools for keeping people well and reducing their risk of chronic disease.
“Many chronic health conditions develop over time, often without obvious symptoms. Wearables can help people build awareness of their health and encourage healthy habits long before they need medical treatment, which is why they're becoming such a valuable add-on tool in preventative health,” she said.
“I'd much rather see patients taking an interest in their health before something goes wrong.
“This real-time information is not only helping people make healthier choices every day but also giving clinicians valuable insights that can help uncover underlying health issues.”
Health and wellbeing apps Australians use:
33% – Fitness or activity tracking (e.g. Fitbit, Apple Health, Strava)
16% – Digital GP or virtual health consultations (e.g. Blua, HotDoc)
15% – Meditation or mindfulness apps (e.g. Headspace, Calm)
13% – Nutrition or diet tracking apps (e.g. MyFitnessPal, Noom)
Most valuable features in a health and wellbeing app:
66% – Tracking physical activity, sleep or nutrition
51% – Earning rewards or incentives for healthy behaviour
50% – Getting trusted health information and advice
49% – Managing or tracking mental health and stress levels
45% – Receiving personalised recommendations to improve health
*Source: Bupa Pulse Check 2026
ENDS
Note to newsdesks:
Interviews available with Dr Janice Tan
For more information, please contact:
Aleks Devic
Bupa Head of External Communications
Email: [email protected]
Mob: 0412 868 933
About Bupa Asia Pacific
Bupa is an international healthcare group which has been committed to a purpose of helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world for more than 75 years. Bupa Asia Pacific operates in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, supporting about 8.2 million customers through a broad range of health and care services including health insurance, aged care, dental, medical, optical and hearing services. Employing more than 22,000 people in the region, we believe that we can make a real difference to the lives of customers through our values, purpose and the way that we deliver personalised care. Over the past 20 years we have invested more than AUD$40 million in partnerships and programs focused on improving health of communities across Australia.