Three-quarters (77%) of gym members with a long-term health condition get active to improve their mental health as well as to improve their strength and fitness, according to polling released today (23 January).
Research* carried out by Savanta on behalf of ukactive shows over half (56%) of all gym users say their membership is important in helping them to follow medical advice and to manage a short- or long-term health condition such as cancer, musculoskeletal conditions, diabetes, respiratory diseases and mental health conditions.
The findings indicate that millions of people are realising the wider benefits of physical activity to prevent, improve and manage a variety of conditions, including anxiety and depression.
More than 8,000 people were polled across January, April, July and September 2024, and of those with at least one long-term health condition, 80% joined the gym to improve or maintain overall physical strength and fitness.
Motivations for a gym membership among people with at least one long-term health condition:
- 80% said it improves or maintains their physical strength and fitness
- 77% said it improves their mental health and wellbeing
- 76% said it improves their overall confidence
- 69% said it improves their sleep
For those with no long-term health conditions in the sample, motivation for joining a gym to improve mental health and wellbeing was slightly lower in comparison to those with at least one long-term health condition (75% vs 77%), suggesting that those with health conditions recognise the additional value for their mental health and wellbeing too.
Today’s findings come against a backdrop of poor national health, with 2.82 million people out of work due to long-term sickness. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of people across the UK will be taking positive steps this week as they make a commitment to be more active and healthier this year.
January is commonly one of the busiest months for gyms and leisure centres, with demand and footfall continuing to peak across the first quarter of the year.
ukactive is calling on the Government to capitalise on this demand for greater health support in the community by helping fitness facilities achieve their growth ambitions so that everyone – no matter their age, background or ability – can access these essential services to support their physical and mental health.
Overall, in the UK, more than 17 million people use gyms and leisure centres each year – 10 million of which are members. ukactive wants to grow the number of members to more than 15 million people by 2030.
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “These findings show more people turning to our sector to support them in managing a variety of physical and mental health conditions and this is directly aligned to the Government’s own ambitions to move support services from the hospital into communities.
“There is countless evidence to show that physical activity can have direct benefits in the management of health conditions and it’s reassuring to see that consumers see this value within their health and fitness memberships.
“We need the Government to recognise this and help us to grow the reach and impact of our nation’s gyms, pools and leisure centres to reduce our health inequalities and the pressure on the NHS and improve the health and wellbeing of our workforce.”
Research from Sport England found physical activity helps prevent 600,000 cases of type 2 diabetes a year, 57,000 cases of dementia, and saves £540m in reduced GP visits. It also prevents 1.3 million cases of depression, creating savings for mental health services of £780m.
*ukactive’s Consumer Engagement Polling and Insights, carried out by Savanta, polled 8,374 UK adults between January 2024 and September 2024. A total of 3,237 of these respondents had at least one long-term health condition between January 2024 and September 2024 and 721 of these are current members of a gym (the total number of gym members in the sample was 2,267). These responses form part of the wider Consumer Engagement Polling that was carried out across four moments throughout the calendar year, with a total of 8,374 respondents polled across all the surveys (data was collected in January, April, July and September 2024).
Find out how different generations prioritise health and fitness in their spending habits by reading more on our latest consumer polling, here.
More People More Active More Often
