More than half of Australians are now using digital tools to monitor their health metrics, including food intake, steps, and sleep patterns, according to the latest Living Healthier Report. This report, now in its fourth edition, is produced by Woolworths Group’s Healthylife platform.

The report analysed four years of supermarket transactions and customer surveys. It highlights a slight increase in vegetable purchases among Australians, with potatoes, tomatoes, frozen vegetables, canned vegetables, and carrots being the most commonly bought items.

The report found Australians are buying more vegetables, with a slight increase in potatoes, tomatoes, frozen vegetables, canned vegetables and carrots making up the majority of these purchases.

“It’s great to see there has been an increase in vegetable consumption,” Simone Austin, Chief Health Officer of Healthylife, commented. “However, we still have a long way to go to make sure we’re meeting the recommended daily 5-6 serves of vegetables, as our data shows that Australians are currently only purchasing 2.8 serves per day.”

Austin highlighted the benefits of increased vegetable consumption, stating, “Eating one additional serving of vegetables a day, can reduce the risk of long term illness by 14 per cent.”

The report also reveals that 44% of Australians are prioritising improving their sleep as a health goal. Of these, 16% are using sleep-tracking devices such as watches or rings.

“Aside from nutrition, improving sleep was the number one non food related concern for Australians and it’s exciting to see how digital tools can help us better understand our sleep patterns,” said Austin. “This can help keep us more accountable to our sleep routines, as well as provide valuable information to health professionals to be alerted to any possible serious sleep concerns.”

In addition to sleep and nutrition, the report highlights that 21% of Australians are seeking health advice from qualified professionals on social media platforms. The increasing importance of telehealth and online health information is particularly noted for those in remote areas.

Woolworths cited its work to increase healthier choices in customers’ baskets through the Healthier Options tool and inclusion of healthier foods in their Own Brand range. Aligning weekly shopping with the Australian Dietary Guidelines can reportedly save shoppers an average of 8% or around $20 weekly for a family of four.

The report also mentions the Woolworths Fresh Food Kids e-Discovery Tours, which aim to educate children about healthy eating. Over 34,000 children participated in the tours in 2024.

Healthylife, part of the Woolworths Group, was launched in 2021. It offers digital health services, including advice from health professionals and a range of health products.