by University of South Australia

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Whether it's ABC Listen's "Health Report" or Mamamia's "But Are You Happy," podcasts have fast become a part of our everyday media consumption. In fact, the average person spends more than five hours a week listening to them. But could listening to podcasts lead to healthier habits?

In the first study of its kind, University of South Australia researchers have explored just this, finding that podcasts can significantly improve health knowledge, increase exercise levels, and boost healthy eating.

Reviewing results from 38 studies, researchers found that people's engagement with health-related podcasts was generally high, suggesting that podcasts could be an effective medium for health information and behavior-change interventions.

Nielsen data shows that podcast popularity has increased by 16% since last year, cementing this on-demand medium in the everyday lives of 9.6 million Australians.

UniSA researcher Beth Robins says the findings highlight the potential of podcasts promoting positive health behaviors.

"Health and well-being podcasts have the unique ability to convey a wide range of health topics to a variety of listeners, but in a very accessible way," Robins says. "Not only are podcasts typically chatty and conversational—which makes them easy to listen to and understand—but they're also available at the touch of a button, so they're extremely convenient, portable, and can be listened to at any time of the day."

The study found that the most common motivations for listening to a health podcast were to gain information, better understand mental health issues, and to seek entertainment.

UniSA researcher Dr. Ben Singh says the high engagement with health podcasts presents an advantage over other health interventions for sharing important public health messages.

"Our study is the first to review the evidence about health podcasts for the general population," Dr. Singh says. "From this study, we know that podcasts are highly valued for their authenticity and reliability, as well as their impactful, experience-focused, and narrative-driven content.

"They're also valued for their ability to be consumed at the user's pace and in a setting that suits them—whether that's while relaxing at home or walking the dog—and this aligns with increasing consumer demand for health resources that are both informative and adaptable to individual lifestyles.

"While more research is warranted, podcasts are clearly a highly engaging, well-received resource that can positively impact health behaviors and outcomes. It's certainly a watch in this space."

More information: Bethany Robins et al, Podcasts as a tool for promoting health-related behaviours: A scoping review, DIGITAL HEALTH (2024). DOI: 10.1177/20552076241288630

Provided by University of South Australia