By Dr. TUNG Chen-Yuan, Taiwan’s Representative to Singapore – AI image for illustrative purposes only.
In Singapore, health is no longer merely a slogan. It has become something measurable, accumulable, and even redeemable.
In 2019, Singapore’s Health Promotion Board launched the Healthy 365 app, extending the philosophy of preventive healthcare into everyday life. Over the years, this digital platform has steadily woven itself into the rhythm of the city, guiding residents to make healthier choices in diet, exercise, and sleep. Whether citizens, permanent residents, or foreign residents holding valid work or residence passes, anyone can participate simply by downloading the app. Rather than merely urging people to “exercise more,” the government has designed a visible, trackable, and redeemable system that transforms every drop of sweat into tangible rewards.
The logic behind Healthy 365 is straightforward: physical activity earns Healthpoints, and these points can be converted into rewards. Walking more than 5,000 steps a day earns 10 points; accumulating 75 qualifying days yields 750 points, which can be redeemed for a S$ 5 e-voucher. Under the current structure, the annual “step challenge” can generate up to about S$ 25 in rewards. With additional initiatives such as “nutrition challenges,” active participants may redeem vouchers worth S$30 to S$50 or more per year. While the amounts are modest, the system successfully turns exercise into an incentivized daily habit. Once health becomes quantifiable, consistency becomes easier.
The app does more than track steps. It also monitors whether users achieve at least 30 minutes of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA), such as brisk walking, running, swimming, or aerobic exercise. Generally, activity that raises the heart rate to about 64% or more of one’s maximum heart rate and is sustained for at least 10 minutes qualifies as moderate to vigorous intensity. Medical guidelines recommend that adults accumulate 150 minutes of MVPA per week to promote cardiovascular and metabolic health. Through data tracking and visual dashboards, users can clearly see their progress, turning the abstract idea of “should exercise” into a concrete and achievable goal. The platform also regularly provides information on fitness events and health programs, including community challenges and themed campaigns, enabling individual efforts to grow into collective participation.
During the Lunar New Year period, a Singaporean friend shared his personal experience. He began using Healthy 365 on January 7, and the app reminded him daily to complete at least 5,000 steps. To meet the goal, he deliberately increased his walking pace and chose stairs over elevators, ensuring each session lasted more than 10 minutes and reached moderate to vigorous intensity. As his activity level increased, he noticed a marked improvement in sleep quality, consistently achieving seven hours of restful sleep per night. Because his steps, MVPA, and sleep targets were all met, he accumulated 1,500 Healthpoints by February 15—just over a month later—and redeemed S$ 10 in vouchers. For him, the financial reward was welcome, but the more meaningful gain was improved fitness and a healthier daily rhythm.
Sleep is also incorporated into the system. The app encourages at least seven hours of sleep per night and provides tracking features, reinforcing the idea that health is not driven by exercise alone but also by adequate rest. In a fast-paced urban environment, going to bed earlier is no longer just a matter of discipline—it is a health action that can be recorded and recognized.
Healthpoints can be redeemed for supermarket, public transport, and dining e-vouchers, as well as health-related services. More significantly, users may donate their points to charitable organizations or support healthcare causes, transforming personal effort into social goodwill. When steps are linked to philanthropy, health moves beyond the individual and becomes part of a broader public good.
Healthy 365 also serves as a key tool under the national “Healthier SG” strategy. Individuals who complete their first Health Plan consultation receive Healthpoints equivalent to S$ 20. Through such integration, preventive care, community clinics, and digital technology are connected, ensuring that health policy translates into daily practice.
From a governance perspective, Healthy 365 represents a model worth noting. It shifts health management into everyday settings, enhances participation through digital tools, uses small incentives to drive large-scale behavioral change, and integrates philanthropy to expand social impact. While an annual S$25 in step rewards may not alter one’s financial position, when hundreds of thousands increase their physical activity, the long-term effects on chronic disease prevention and healthcare expenditure could far exceed the program’s cost.
Healthy 365 demonstrates that health can be thoughtfully designed. When governments leverage technology and institutional innovation to make health visible, measurable, and redeemable, citizens are naturally more willing to go the extra mile. After all, taking a few more steps is not merely about burning calories—it is about helping one’s future self-take fewer steps toward the hospital.
