Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
A new study by YouGov, which surveyed more than 18,000 people across 17 markets worldwide, has revealed that New Year's resolutions remain a popular tradition for most people, with the majority of respondents planning to set goals for 2025.
As in previous years, improving physical fitness topped the list, but this year the focus has diversified to include financial and mental health.
According to the survey, 52% of consumers worldwide plan to improve their physical health in 2025, with Indonesia and India topping the list at 65% each, followed by Italy (64%) and Singapore (61%).
While this goal remained the most popular, shifts in respondents' priorities showed a growing focus on the financial and mental aspects of health.
The survey also indicated that 38% of respondents plan to manage their money better, with Indonesians once again the most likely to do so, at 74%. Hong Kong follows with 60%. The data also showed that 35% of respondents aim to spend more time with family, 33% seek to improve their mental health, while 30% plan to travel more.
In the UAE, where a survey of 1,006 residents was conducted, the results showed that maintaining physical fitness remains the most popular goal for 2025, with 58% of respondents choosing this goal as a priority.
Improving money management came in second place at 52%, followed by spending more time with family and friends at 50%.
As for other resolutions, 42% of respondents indicated a desire to improve their mental health, while 35% indicated a desire to reduce the time they spend on their smartphones, and around 32% plan to travel more or reduce time on social media platforms.
The survey also showed gender differences in preferences for New Year's resolutions for 2025, with women more likely than men to identify physical health and travel as key goals.
62% of women said they wanted to improve their fitness, compared to 56% of men.
Women also showed a greater interest in travel, with 36% saying that traveling more was a goal, compared to just 30% of men.
The survey was conducted online in November 2024 and is based on representative samples from each market, except Mexico and India, where urban samples were selected, while online samples were used in Indonesia and Hong Kong.
The global sample is approximately 18,000 people across 17 markets, while in the UAE, the survey included 1,006 adults aged 18 and above.
Health-related decisions remained top of people's minds worldwide in 2025, with increasing interest in other areas such as mental health and money management.
In the UAE, physical health and family relationships appeared to be high on the list of priorities for both citizens and residents.
With the recent changes in the world, it seems that this year's New Year's resolutions focus on life balance and achieving personal stability in various areas.
