- Bupa and world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz unveil series of portraits showing what health means to six Para athletes
- With four out of five people in the UK, Spain and Australia feeling that health is misrepresented in society, these portraits aim to celebrate health in all its forms
- Bupa is encouraging people to join the conversation and share their Picture of Health
Bupa, the international healthcare company, has partnered with world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz to launch Picture of Health – a global campaign that celebrates diverse health stories.
It follows new research from Bupa that reveals four out of five people (83%) in the UK, Spain and Australia feel that the portrayal of health is often misrepresented in society, with over a third (36%) believing that health is frequently shown as one size fits all.
While the majority (55%) recognise that role models can inspire positive health changes such as staying active (54%) and building self-belief (21%), almost a third (31%) want to see more fitness abilities and body types portrayed in the media.
Annie Leibovitz, renowned for her iconic portraits has now captured what health means to six Para athletes with captivating portraits that celebrate health in all its forms.
Among the six portraits is British gold medallist Richard Whitehead MBE, for whom health is determination, transforming adversity into opportunity, and Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker, British sprinter, captured with his family to reflect his holistic view of health as both physical and mental energy.
Curtis McGrath, an Australian gold medallist in Para Canoe and former soldier, defines health as independence; Sara Andrés Barrio, a Spanish sprinter and long jump champion who triumphed over following a car accident, sees health as a state of fullness and tranquillity; Mariana Zúñiga, Chile's trailblazing Para Archer, views health as synonymous with self-belief, and Róża Kozakowska, a Polish gold medallist in club throw and shot put, perceives health as the strength to conquer seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Bupa's survey of over 5,000 adults across the UK, Spain and Australia also highlights new perspectives on managing our health, as quality time with loved ones (36%) and regular walks in nature (27%) are prioritised over traditional fitness routines like weekly runs or gym visits. This suggests a shift towards the importance of human connection and mental wellbeing in the pursuit of living healthier, happier lives.
Fiona Bosman, Brand Director at Bupa Group, commented: “Picture of Health aims to start a conversation about what health is, and what it can be. We wanted to start this with a series of dynamic and striking photos that could inspire people to share their own Pictures of Health. Given her fame for capturing the stories of the people she works with, Annie Leibovitz was the perfect photographer to help bring Picture of Health to life and showcase what health means for each of our six athletes.”
To celebrate health in all its forms and add to the captivating line-up of images shot by Annie Leibovitz, Bupa is calling on people across the globe to upload their own Picture of Health to its online gallery from 21 May to 21 June 2024.
About the research
The research was carried out by Mortar Research. 5,202 people were surveyed online (including 2,051 in the UK; 2,098 in Spain and 1,053 in Australia). Quotas were set to ensure respondents were nationally representative of age (18+), gender and region for each country. Fieldwork took place between 22nd – 27th April 2024.
About Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz began publishing her work in Rolling Stone in 1970. The magazine was then a groundbreaking voice of the counterculture and she was still a student at the San Francisco Art Institute. She was Rolling Stone’s chief photographer by 1973. Ten years later, when she left Rolling Stone to join Vanity Fair and then Vogue, her photographs had become widely recognizable and distinctive interpretations of the contemporary landscape. Her large and distinguished body of work encompasses some of the most well-known and influential portraits of our time.
