40+ Fitness Statistics for a Lean, Fit, and Flexy 2021

There was probably a day when your reflection in the mirror didn’t resonate with the desired image of yourself. Perhaps, it is the time to finally act upon that old new year’s resolution and hit the gym. 

It seems like everybody has a meal or fitness plan nowadays. Everybody goes to the gym, right? Well, these fitness statistics beg to differ.

Here’s a sneak peek –  most of the people that join the gym in January don’t last a whole month. Nevertheless, the global fitness industry thrives on those paid but unused gym memberships.

What are the latest fitness trends? How much is the industry worth? How does being physically inactive impact our health? Are children at risk more than adults? 

In our search for the answers, we found more than we were expecting. Read on, and be amazed.

The Top 10 Fitness Statistics and Facts

Before we deep-dive into the most significant figures, let’s look at some of the top-rated statistics on exercise and fitness. 

• 27% of young Americans are too overweight to serve in the military.
• The average gym member is 40 years old.
• In 2018, there were over 6 billion gym visits in the US.
• The US fitness industry recorded $32.3 billion in revenue in 2018.
• The fitness industry lost over $15 billion in revenue due to the pandemic.
• 7.2 million Brits got hurt while working out in their homes.
• There were about 46% more fitness app downloads during the lockdown.
• The US is rated 7th most-fit country globally.
• The UK has about 69,000 licensed fitness instructors.
• There are over 174 million fitness club members globally.

Health and Fitness Facts

During the last decade, the fitness frenzy has spread through the US like an epidemic. Yet, the number of overweight children is significantly increasing. Is the popularity of the healthy lifestyle adversely affecting some populations? Read on and find out.

1. The US is experiencing an obesity epidemic.

(ODPHP)

When it comes to healthy eating, the statistics reveal that 34% of American adults and 16.2% of children are obese. Moreover, fun facts about fitness and health show that adults in the US consume fruit once a day and vegetables 1.6 times a day. 

2. 81.6% of adult Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity.

(ODPHP)

More than three-quarters of average American adults and as much as 81.8% of adolescents fail to exercise regularly, according to the exercise statistics.

3. In 70% of the cases, obese children become overweight adults.

(NHS)

One of the most intriguing facts about fitness is that children with disabilities have a 38% higher chance of becoming obese.

Adults with disabilities are 57% more likely to be obese than those without disabilities.

4. 27% of young Americans are too overweight to serve in the military.

(NHS)

Each year, more than 15,000 young Americans fail to pass the military physical exam due to obesity. Furthermore, obesity burdens the whole society, imposing a staggering $147 billion in healthcare costs each year.

5. The average gym member is 40 years old, according to physical fitness facts. 

(CreditDonkey)

According to the evidence, the fitness-conscious demographics range from angry bodybuilders and steroid addicts to all-aged yoga and Zumba enthusiasts.

6. The connection between exercise and cardiovascular disease reveals that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to 20% of the adult mortality rates.

(Physical Fitness Exercises)

People that sit for 11 hours per day are 40% more likely to die of premature death. For those older than 35, the lack of exercise and disease progression contribute by 20% to their overall mortality rate.

7. According to fitness statistics, being physically inactive raises the chances of heart disease in men by 52%.

(Physical FItness Exercises)

The relationship between physical activity and heart disease in women relates to 28% higher risks. Moreover, other chronic diseases prevented by exercise include cancer, stroke, and diabetes. 

Men are 48% more likely to develop cancer if not active, while women have that figure at 28%. Furthermore, physically active people can reduce the chances of a stroke by 50%, and they can reduce high blood pressure in 75% of the cases.

Fitness Industry Statistics 

Being fit is everyone’s business. As awareness increases, more people seek the best way to stay fit and healthy globally. This search has made the fitness industry a lucrative niche for investors. Here are some industry statistics you should know.

8. In 2018, there were over 6 billion gym visits in the US.

(IHRSA)

According to the research on how many people work out, there were 39570 gyms in the US in 2018, which conjointly accounted for about 62.5 million members. Weight loss industry statistics shows that 20.8% of Americans belong to at least one gym club or fitness studio.

9. The US fitness industry recorded $32.3 billion in revenue in 2018.

(IHRSA)

Over a one year period, this industry recorded a growth of staggering 7.8%, and these trends still continue to rise.

10. Recent statistics on exercising reveal that the average American spends $58 on a gym membership monthly.

(Glofox)

Gym membership is considered to be a costly activity. According to personal training stats, the average gym member earns $75,000 a year.

11. Unused gym memberships account for a stunning $1.8 billion annually.

(Glofox)

6.3% of Americans have gym memberships that they never use but regularly pay for. The majority of these memberships are the New-Year-resolution types.

12. According to workout statistics, January is the most crowded month in a gym.

(CreditDonkey)

Hitting the gym is one of the most popular New Year resolutions, and a significant number of people act on it promptly. However, 4% of new members don’t even make it through a few workouts, and 14% do not renew their gym memberships in February.

Furthermore, 14% of new quitters are women, while men quit the gym in 8% of the cases.

13. The global fitness industry recorded $94 billion in revenue in 2018.

(CreditDonkey)

In concurrence with fitness industry growth statistics, there were more than 210,000 fitness clubs in the world in 2018, with about 183 million consumers between them.

14. The US personal trainer industry employed 599,992 individuals in 2017.

(Askwonder)

The total market size for personal trainers is approximately $9 billion annually. It is estimated that 59% of fitness studios across the US are personal trainer-based.

15. The wearables market was expected to reach a worth of $15,376m in 2020 worldwide.

(Statista)

The average user of app-tracking wearables pays about $43.09 for this service. 

16. According to the official fitness stats, the top five fitness companies in the world made together more than $7 billion in revenue in 2018.

(Statista)

The five top fitness companies in the world are (with their revenue for 2018):

• LA Fitness ($2.1 billion)
• Life Time Fitness Inc. ($1.7 billion)
• 24h Fitness USA inc. ($1.5 billion)
• Equinox Holdings ($1.4 billion)
• ClubCorp ($ 1.1 billion)

Exercise Statistics

Despite the general opinion, a surprising lot of people cannot sustain daily workouts. The following exercise figures will show just how exercising truly effective is.

17. Less than 5% of American adults workout for at least 30 minutes every day.

(NHS)

The lack of exercise in America is seriously conditioning the rise of obesity and diseases in all age groups. Exercise and fitness facts show that approximately 28% of adults aged 65 to 74 are physically active, and 35% of people older than 75 practice some form of physical activity. 

More than 80% of adult Americans do not meet the recommendations for physical activity.

18. About 33% of children are physically active on a daily basis.

(NHS)

The most interesting fitness facts regarding youth in America show that children spend more than seven hours in front of the TV screen every day. Almost one-third of school-aged children play video games for three hours a day.

19. 18% of members hit the gym regularly. 

(Glofox)

49.9% of gym members utilize their membership at least twice a week, while 24.2% of gym people workout once a week. Additionally, 53.2% of people who go to the gym also have some kind of exercise equipment at home. 

20. One of the fun fitness facts is that about 50% of people hit the gym to check out the opposite sex.

(Glofox)

As high as 30% of people don’t even break a sweat because they’re too busy talking to other people. 13% of gym members lie about going to the gym when they actually go somewhere else.

21. Wearables are the leading fitness trend for the future.

(ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal)

According to a national survey, there are 20 main fitness trends for the future that are rapidly changing according to the younger fitness demographics. These are:

1. Wearables
2. Body-weight training
3. High-Intensity-Interval Training (HIIT)
4. Educated fitness professionals
5. Strength training
6. Group training
7. Exercise is medicine
8. Yoga
9. Personal trainers
10. Exercise and weight-loss
11. Individual programs for older adults
12. Functional fitness
13. Outdoor activities
14. Group personal training
15. Wellness coaching
16. Workplace health promotion
17. Smartphone exercise apps
18. Outcome measurements
19. Circuit training
20. Flexibility and mobility rollers

22. Almost two-thirds of physically active people have gone to a gym at some point. 

(Statista)

The health and fitness statistics state that, regardless of the main motivating factor for increasing physical activity, going to the gym remains the main fitness option.

The main reasons for joining a gym are:

• Staying healthy
• Reducing weight
• Optimizing strength
• Optimizing endurance
• Improving body looks
• Improving overall appearance

23. 80% of gym users in 2020 were predicted to be Millennials and Gen Zers.

(Glofox)

Physical Fitness fun facts reveal that the younger generations are shaping the fitness industry by installing new trends, such as group training, cross-fit, yoga HIIT, and mindful workouts.

24. Less than 24% of children between the age of 6 and 17 get adequate physical daily activities.

(CDC)

Most school-age children do not get up to 60 minutes daily of physical activities. 

Physical fitness statistics among high-school students show that about 26.1% of them engage in 60 minutes or more of daily exercise. 

The same research shows that about 51.1% of students engage in weight lifting, sit-ups, push-ups, and related muscle-strengthening training. 

In an average week, 51.7% of students took physical education lectures, but only approximately 30% had daily physical education classes.

Nutrition and Fitness Facts 

Below we collected some quite revealing statistics about nutrition we think every health-conscious person should know.

25. Approximately 90% of Americans consume higher amounts of sodium than officially recommended.

(NHS)

Kitchen salt is added in high amounts in every fast food. Adults in the US consume 3,400mg of sodium per day, while the official guidelines clearly state the recommended amount at 2,300 mg per day. An ordinary burger can contain up to three times of sodium of the recommended dose.

26. Children aged 2 to 18 get 40% of their caloric intake from fast foods, abundant in fat and sugar.

(NHS)

As stated by the official fitness statistics, more than half of these empty calories come from six major food types:

• Sodas
• Fruit drinks
• Grain desserts
• Pizza
• Whole milk
• Dairy desserts

27. When it comes to exercising and nutrition, there are 3 major body types.

NASM

The three-body-types theory has been around since the 1940s, and it relates to bones and muscle structure, personality types, visceral metabolism, and nutrition. These are:

1. Endomorph 

These people tend to have a stubby bone structure with larger internal sections and hips. They are less likely to feel the goodness of being fit, as statistics show that they usually carry more fat throughout the body due to a heavy abdominal volume and a slightly slower metabolism. 

The type of exercise appropriate for them is based on skeletal muscle gain and fat-burning aerobics. 

Their diet should always be in a negative calorie count and should contain extra usable protein.

2. Mesomorph

Their bodies dominate with muscle, bone, and connective tissue and are usually depicted as stacked. They have a more dynamic personality and are usually more active. 

According to weight loss statistics, these people achieve their fitness goals more quickly. In terms of diet and fitness, programs are made for them according to their particular needs of gaining or losing weight.

3. Ectomorph

They are lean, fit, and fragile and usually have more narrow hips and shoulders in respect to their height. These people find it hard to gain quality muscle. The most desirable fitness option for them is lower-intensity training and maximal strength-resistance exercises. 

Their diet should be based on a healthy balance between protein and carbs for achieving sufficient energy.

28. According to US fitness facts, West Virginia has the highest percentage of obese people.

(Statista)

West Virginia and Mississippi have the highest amounts of obese people at 38.1% and 37.3%, respectively. On the other hand, in 2018, the leanest US states were Colorado (22.6%) and the District of Columbia (26%).

29. 56% of Americans are willing to change their eating habits to lose weight.

(Statista)

44% of American adults eat at fast-food dinner restaurants at least once per week. 61% of restaurants offer a low-calorie menu, while 59% introduce a gluten-free menu.

30. According to long-term weight-loss statistics, 50% of women in the US use supplements for overall health and wellness benefits.

(Statista)

Supplementation is increasing in popularity, with 42% of men in the US using it for their health and fitness reasons.

31. In general, fitness-friendly foods contain digestible protein, dietary fiber, unsaturated fats, and resistant starch. 

(Healthline)

According to the research, there are 20 types of natural foods that contribute to weight-loss:

• Whole eggs
• Leafy greens
• Salmon
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Lean beef and chicken meat
• Boiled potatoes
• Tuna
• Legumes
• Soups
• Cottage cheese
• Avocados
• Apple cider vinegar
• Nuts
• Whole grain
• Fruit
• Grapefruit
• Chilly pepper
• Chia seeds
• Coconut oil
• Fat yogurt

32. One of the most revealing fitness facts is that foods that aid weight loss contain essential nutrients and nothing more.

(EatThis)

In general, a well-balanced diet, abundant in natural nutrients, is most likely to provide a quick metabolic shift, which is usually followed by visual aesthetic changes on the body.

According to resources, the most ubeneficial natural nutrients are:

• Choline
• Vitamins of the B group
• Arginine
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Organic antioxidants
• Leucine
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Vitamin D
• Unsaturated fats
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Vitamin C
• Selenium
• Tryptophan

COVID-19 Fitness Statistics for 2020

The lockdown dealt a significant blow to the fitness industry. Gyms and health clubs were shut down across most parts of the world, limiting many sports activities. The following statistics reveal how the crisis affected both professionals and recreational fitness users. 

Here are some noteworthy statistics that capture the fitness industry and covid-19 impact.

33. The fitness industry lost over $15 billion in revenue due to the pandemic.

(IHRSA)

The International Health, Racquet, and Sports Club Association (IHRSA) also reported that the pandemic closed an estimated 15% of gyms permanently. This led to a significant revenue drop and, consequently, about 480,000 fitness-related jobs were lost. 

During the lockdown, several top names from the industry were forced to file for bankruptcy. 

34. 7.2 million Brits got hurt while working out in their homes.

(Bupa)

Fitness industry statistics in the UK show that many Britons had several injuries while trying to workout indoors. 

According to the data, about 28% of Brits sustained their regular workout routines while 17% attempted different routines. The change in environment and workout types probably caused over 7 million recorded fitness-related injuries, mostly among men. 

Pulled muscles were most frequently recorded, accounting for 36% of the total injuries. According to online fitness industry statistics, knee injuries were reported in about 31%, 26% of reported were back injuries, 26% were ankle injuries, and neck injuries accounted for 25%. 

35. Only about 2% of US gym members desired to return to the gym.

(Statista)

Many Americans lost interest in the gym after the lockdown eased. This may be linked to several factors, including getting used to the sedentary life, recording good results from their home workouts, and, importantly, the fear of getting infected. 

However, the fitness center statistics show that about 6% planned to return to the gym again in three months, 7% said they’d be back within six months, and 38% wished to go back any time after six months.

36. There were about 46% more fitness app downloads during the lockdown.

(World Economic Forum)

During the pandemic, fitness apps recorded a significant increase in download rates.

According to official 2020 fitness facts, India recorded the highest spike and a staggering growth rate of 157%. 

The Middle East and North Africa recorded a 55% growth rate, Asia-Pacific boosted 47%, Europe 25%, while the US ranked 5th with a 21% increase in fitness apps download.

Worldwide Fitness Statistics 

Fitness is a global industry. In some forms, it resembles more a global movement than just recreational exercise. The rapidly changing lifestyle is influencing complementary industries to grow and spread. 

37. The UK has about 69,000 licensed fitness instructors.

(Statista)

Fitness center industry statistics reveal that private fitness instructors earn a minimum of £20–£40 and a maximum of £50–£100 per hour. The pay depends on the client and the individual instructor’s bargain power.

Less experienced fitness club workers may earn anywhere between £14,000–£16,000 annually. For their more experienced counterparts, statistics say they earn as much as £20,000–£30,000 annually. 

38. The US is rated as the 7th most fit country globally.

(Travel Leisure)

It’s no longer news that Americans and fitness do not always go together. On a global scale, free fitness industry statistics state that Switzerland stays on the top of the list of the fittest countries. Portugal and France come second and third places, respectively. 

The survey that placed the US in the 7th place was conducted not exclusively based on gym memberships. Other determining factors included availability of tracks, number of marathon runners, etc.

39. The US recorded the most gym memberships in 2017.

(IHRSA)

By gym membership count, the US, Germany, and the UK rank at the top, respectively. The interesting thing about these particular fitness stats, and myths generating from them, is that less populated countries have more fit people than countries with a larger population. 

Namely, IHRSA claims that approximately 61 million Americans register in the gym annually. On the other side of the pond,  Germany has 10.6 million registered gym memberships, and the UK has 9.9 million. 

These countries are also among the highest fitness revenue generators in the world. 

40. The US has about 373,700 available trainer jobs.

(US Bureau of Labor and Statistics)

As the stay-fit campaign rages across the US, personal trainers (PTs) are gaining more recognition. 

However, the average pay for PTs may be considered low, with a median income of $19.42 per hour. Many say it’s a fair wage since instructors are practically paid to stay fit and teach others how to do the same.

The weight-loss industry statistics predict a 15% increase in fitness trainer jobs between 2019 and 2029. 

On the other hand, turnover rates are still considerable, given that the payments tend to fluctuate. According to the source, about 90% of PTs walked from their jobs within their first year. 

41. There are over 201,000 fitness clubs globally.

(Statista) 

This statistic reveals a remarkable spike in the number of fitness centers and clubs being opened around the globe. The increase may be linked to the growing global consciousness of being fit. Neighborhood gyms are becoming ever more common. 

The gym houses are evenly spread to ensure people have easy access to gym facilities. However, exercise and weight loss statistics show that some regions still lack access to fitness centers. 

While this isn’t a good thing for fitness seekers, it’s a great deal for investors.

42. There are over 174 million fitness club members globally.

(Statista)

These statistics reveal the secret behind the multi-billion dollar industry. New clubs are springing worldwide and registering new members continuously. 

On the other hand, recent fitness industry demographics show that many citizens of third-world countries can not afford fitness club membership. Even in the developed countries, there are low-populated areas that lack fitness clubs. 

The growing number of gym memberships does not reflect the number of fitness, considering that the memberships alone do not make anyone fit.

Additionally, many people may prefer outdoor workouts and do not attach so much relevance to paid fitness.

FAQs

Why is physical fitness important?

Physical fitness determines the overall psychological and physiological health. Physically inactive people are twice as likely to develop heart disease. 

The older inactive population has about 50% more chances of developing a stroke than those that workout regularly. The sedentary lifestyle in young adults contributes to 20% of the rising mortality rates.

How many people work in the fitness industry?

There are about 6 billion visits to the gym in the US annually, and they occur at 39570 gyms across the country. About 599,992 personal trainers serve nearly 62.5 million gym members.

How much is the fitness industry worth?

The global fitness industry cashed in $94 billion in revenue in 2018, and the trends are still rising. The US fitness industry alone recorded $32.3 billion in revenue. The average American spends $58 on a gym monthly, and 6.3% of them never go to the gym. The top five companies in the US made about $7 billion in revenue in 2018.

Key Takeaways

Whether we like it or not, our fitness level significantly determines our longevity and quality of life. In modern times, sedentary lifestyles prevail, and obesity follows. The fitness industry tends to a global lack of physical activity and improves wellness levels. And it makes billions in return.

As shown by these fitness statistics, the gym-culture is rapidly growing and is susceptible to changes based on the demands that the new generations impose. Nevertheless, nutritional requirements remain the same. Most of us just don’t meet them.

Sources

• ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal
• Askwonder
• Bupa
• CDC
• CreditDonkey
• EatThis
• Glofox
• Glofox
• Healthline
• IHRSA
• IHRSA
• IHRSA
• NASM
• NHS
• ODPHP
• Physical FItness Exercises
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Statista
• Travel Leisure
• US Bureau of Labor and Statistics 
• World Economic Forum