There was probably a day when your mirror image didn’t resonate with your desired look. Have you ever thought of hitting the gym, where you can crush the fat and build lean and healthy muscle? Everybody goes to the gym, right? Well, these fitness statistics beg to differ.
No matter how strong you are on your New Year’s resolutions, the facts are that most of the people that join the gym in January don’t last the whole month. Regardless, the global fitness industry thrives on 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?
We scooped the internet for the latest trends in the fitness industry and found these answers and more.
The Top 10 Fitness Statistics and Facts
- 81.6% of American adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity.
- Being physically inactive raises the chances of heart disease by 52% in men and 28% in women.
- The global fitness industry recorded $94 billion in revenue in 2018.
- Less than 5% of Americans workout for at least 30 minutes every day.
- 50% of people hit the gym to check out the opposite sex.
- 56% of Americans are willing to change their eating habits.
- About 33% of children are physically active.
- In 70% of the cases, obese children become overweight adults.
- The average American spends $58 on a gym membership monthly.
- Unused gym memberships account for a stunning $1.8 billion annually.
Health and Fitness Facts
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, 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
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. 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 is expected to reach the 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
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. 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 is 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:
- Wearables
- Body-weight training
- High-Intensity-Interval Training (HIIT)
- Educated fitness professionals
- Strength training
- Group training
- Exercise is medicine
- Yoga
- Personal trainers
- Exercise and weight-loss
- Individual programs for older adults
- Functional fitness
- Outdoor activities
- Group personal training
- Wellness coaching
- Workplace health promotion
- Smartphone exercise apps
- Outcome measurements
- Circuit training
- 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 will be Millennials and Gen Zers.
(Glofox)
Younger generations are shaping the fitness industry by installing new trends, such as group training, cross-fit, yoga HIIT, and mindful workouts.
Nutrition and Fitness Facts
24. 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.
25. Children aged 2 to 18 years get 40% of their caloric intake from fast foods, which is 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
26. 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:
- 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.
- Mesomorph
They tend to have domination of 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.
- 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.
27. 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 District of Columbia (26%).
28. 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.
29. According to long-term weight-loss statistics, 50% of women in the US are using 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.
30. 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
31. 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 useful 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
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.
