The Health & Fitness Association’s (HFA) latest report, Reversing the Physical Inactivity Crisis – Fitness Affordability as Strategic Policy, highlights the important role that affordability plays in global physical inactivity.
The HFA report covers ten international markets, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, and the United States. In it the presentation identifies how reducing financial barriers to structured physical exercise facilitated by fitness facilities could drive increased health, social and economic benefits.
Physical inactivity has been universally linked by the medical community as a key driver of preventable diseases and premature aging. Health and fitness facilities, as supporters of regular physical activity and who provide professionally guided, evidence-based fitness programs at scale have been shown to reduce chronic disease risk, improve mental health and build healthier communities. However, access remains uneven for many communities, with affordability being a leading barrier.
The report identifies that members of fitness facilities are significantly more active and healthier than non-members.
Across the 10 surveyed markets conducted for the report, customers were on average 56 percent more likely to meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for physical activity. These individuals also reported “higher life satisfaction and greater trust in their communities, emphasizing the broad social value of structured exercise,” the report notes.
Despite the benefits, cost was cited as a leading deterent to member participation in every market which the report surveyed.
On average, 61 percent of people surved for the report, identified gym membership affordability as a primary reason for not joining a facility, limiting access to the infrastructure and professional expertise the facilities offer.
The research includes a price elasticity analysis, which shows that even modest price reductions could, on average, motivate up to 14 percent of current non-customers to join a gym.
Modeling the effects of the HFA’a hypothetical 10 percent cost reduction found that potential for significant returns as follows:
- A return on investment of 1.5x to 4x through reductions in chronic disease, improved public health and productivity.
- Increased consumer spending in the sports/fitness sector and related industries and new job creation.
- Healthier and more connected communities.
“By prioritizing affordability, we can remove a leading barrier to structured exercise, drive health improvements, strengthen social cohesion, and fuel economic resilience,” offered Liz Clark, president and CEO, Health & Fitness Association. “Public investment in fitness affordability is not just a cost but a strategic initiative with profound returns.”
Methodology: The report, Reversing the Physical Inactivity Crisis – Fitness Affordability as Strategic Policy, was conducted by the Health & Fitness Association in collaboration with Portas Consulting. The study integrates consumer surveys with Portas’ proprietary Social Return on Investment (SROI) model to evaluate health, social and economic outcomes.
The online survey was conducted in September 2024 and included nearly 11,300 urban adults from a diverse group in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, and the United States.
