In this op-ed, IAB‘s CEO Gai Le Roy explores the explosion across age categories of ageing-related content. Online Australians are consuming everything from mobility and healthy eating to career planning, and Le Roy argues that adlanders would remiss not to tap into the phenomenon.
I have been thinking a lot about ageing recently. Before anyone reads too much into that, I am very aware it could simply be the Baader Meinhof phenomenon at play, where once something is on your radar, you suddenly spot it everywhere. Such as when you are pregnant, every other person you see on the street seems pregnant.
In fact, I admit I briefly wondered if my own internal algorithm was nudging me towards writing about aging, but the Ipsos iris data confirms that this is not a personal projection. Ageing has been named as one of the most significant digital consumption trends of the year and it’s shaping how Australians spend their time online.
Over 55s now account for 34 per cent of all time spent online across major devices. While the volume alone is notable, the real shift is in the categories being consumed. Each month 18.8 million Australians access online health content, and total time spent in this category is up 34 per cent year on year. A third of all time in online health comes from people aged 55 plus while younger Australians are also increasingly building habits linked to prevention and long-term wellbeing.
This increased usage spans a significant range of sectors. Time spent on fitness and exercise apps has increased 48 per cent year on year, with 31 per cent of all usage coming from those aged 55 plus. Meanwhile, health-related retail grew 13 per cent year on year, supported by strong engagement with pharmacies, supplements and sensory care. Food behaviour is also shifting. Meal kit services show clear differences in age profiles, with strong growth overall and particular uptake among Australians who prioritise convenience, nutrition and sustaining healthy habits over time.
The key takeout is that, alongside AI-driven usage, one of the biggest digital consumption shifts of 2025 is that Australians are using online content and services to support living well for longer.
However, it’s not simply about an ageing population. It is about Australians across every age group adopting behaviours that support vitality and long-term health, and these habits are now driving a significant share of total digital time growth.
For marketers, media owners and creators, these insights provide significant opportunities.
Marketers should incorporate wellbeing behaviours into their planning and segmentation. Health, fitness, learning and confidence-building activities now cut across traditional age brackets and influence decisions in retail, financial services, food, travel and more. Planning should reflect the growing demand for products and experiences that support long-term capability and healthier everyday routines.
Media owners should evolve their content and product strategies to meet rising demand for trustworthy and practical wellbeing information. This includes fitness guidance, healthy eating content, financial and career planning for longer working lives, and tools that help people maintain mobility, strength, and confidence. There is a clear opportunity to develop formats that support long-term routines and ongoing personal progress.
Content creators should look for ways to win attention through simple, everyday bio hacks and keep audiences engaged with clear, evidence-based, and practical advice. Australians are increasingly trying achievable ways to improve mobility, energy, sleep, nutrition and resilience. Creators who explain what works, why it works and how to use it in daily life will build stronger trust and deeper engagement.
So even if it was the Baader Meinhof phenomenon that made me consider ageing trends, the Ipsos iris data backed me up. There is a real and meaningful shift underway. Australians are using digital media to support living well for longer, and it will be one of the most important consumption trends into next year.
