We are gearing up for the busy season for the fitness industry and wrapping up what was one of the biggest years on record. The 2024 Global Report from Health and Fitness Association showed us that the world is shifting, where we are looking at what we do in the fitness industry as preventative health, where our members are exercising as much for their mental and social wellbeing, as the physical benefits that clearly come from movement.
Fitness Industry Council looks at the latest studies proving the power of physical activity for health, including a revealing study on walkable cities, the potential of physicians prescribing exercise to change adherence, the impact of cardiovascular exercise on longevity and more.
1. If you build it, they will walk
Active transportation is a global phenomenon and a major US study has added strong evidence to the merits of building walkabout cities. The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, shows that each 1% increase in an area’s “walkability” resulted in a 0.42% increase in neighbourhood walking – which actually added up to about 19 minutes per week for every resident living in a walkable area. What was interesting is that the study analyzed data from surveys of 5,477 pairs of twins between 2009 and 2020, including where they lived and how much they walked in a week. It found that those who lived in areas considered more walkable actually did walk more. In fact, living in a walkable neighbourhood reduced the chance of having no transit use at all by 32%