Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey

Alexios Batrakoulis; Oscar L Veiga; Susana Franco; Ewan Thomas; Antonios Alexopoulos; Manel Valcarce-Torrente; Rita Santos-Rocha; Fatima Ramalho; Andrea Di Credico; Daniela Vitucci; Liliana Ramos; Vera Simões; Alejandro Romero-Caballero; Isabel Vieira; Annamaria Mancini; Antonino Bianco; Alexios Batrakoulis; Oscar L Veiga; Susana Franco; Ewan Thomas; Antonios Alexopoulos; Manel Valcarce-Torrente; Rita Santos-Rocha; Fatima Ramalho; Andrea Di Credico; Daniela Vitucci; Liliana Ramos; Vera Simões; Alejandro Romero-Caballero; Isabel Vieira; Annamaria Mancini; Antonino Bianco

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2023028

AIMS Public Health

2023, Volume 10, Issue 2: 378-408. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023028

Previous Article Next Article

Research article

Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey

1.
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece
2.
Department of Physical Education, Sports and Human Movement, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
3.
Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior, Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Rio Maior, Portugal
4.
Quality of Life Research Centre (CIEQV), Rio Maior, Portugal
5.
Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
6.
Department of Life Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
7.
Department of Business Management, Valencian International University, Valencia, Spain
8.
Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Human Performance (CIPER), Lisbon, Portugal
9.
Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
10.
Department of Movement Sciences and Wellness, University Parthenope, Napoli, Italy
11.
Department of Physical Education, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain

Received: 11 March 2023 Revised: 20 April 2023 Accepted: 20 April 2023 Published: 09 May 2023

The physical activity, exercise and wellness sector is rapidly growing and seems to be an exciting field for business and professional development with great potential globally. The purpose of this observational and cross-sectional study was to determine the most popular health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for the first time, including data from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus, and to investigate any potential differences in this area compared to the Pan-European and global fitness trends for 2023. A national online survey was conducted in five Southern European countries, using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide surveys conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2007. In total, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 19,887 professionals who worked in the Southern European physical activity, exercise and wellness sector. A total of 2645 responses were collected from five national surveys with an overall mean response rate of 13.3%. The ten most important fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023 were personal training, licensure for fitness professionals, exercise is medicine, employing certified fitness professionals, functional fitness training, small group training, high-intensity interval training, fitness programs for older adults, post-rehabilitation classes and body weight training. The present findings are aligned with those reported for the European and worldwide fitness trends.
- Southern Europe,
- fitness survey,
- trends,
- top programs,
- top services,
- ACSM survey
Citation: Alexios Batrakoulis, Oscar L Veiga, Susana Franco, Ewan Thomas, Antonios Alexopoulos, Manel Valcarce-Torrente, Rita Santos-Rocha, Fatima Ramalho, Andrea Di Credico, Daniela Vitucci, Liliana Ramos, Vera Simões, Alejandro Romero-Caballero, Isabel Vieira, Annamaria Mancini, Antonino Bianco. Health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023: A cross-sectional survey[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2023, 10(2): 378-408. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2023028

Related Papers:

Abstract

The physical activity, exercise and wellness sector is rapidly growing and seems to be an exciting field for business and professional development with great potential globally. The purpose of this observational and cross-sectional study was to determine the most popular health and fitness trends in Southern Europe for the first time, including data from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus, and to investigate any potential differences in this area compared to the Pan-European and global fitness trends for 2023. A national online survey was conducted in five Southern European countries, using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide surveys conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2007. In total, a web-based questionnaire was sent to 19,887 professionals who worked in the Southern European physical activity, exercise and wellness sector. A total of 2645 responses were collected from five national surveys with an overall mean response rate of 13.3%. The ten most important fitness trends in Southern Europe for 2023 were personal training, licensure for fitness professionals, exercise is medicine, employing certified fitness professionals, functional fitness training, small group training, high-intensity interval training, fitness programs for older adults, post-rehabilitation classes and body weight training. The present findings are aligned with those reported for the European and worldwide fitness trends.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to all participants for their contribution and a big thank you to the SISMeS (Italian Society of Exercise and Sports Sciences) president, Dr. Angela Di Baldassarre, for her assistance with the Italian survey.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

[1]	Deloitte EA (2022) European Health & Fitness Market Report 2022, Brussels. Belgium: EuropeActive. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/de/Documents/consumer-business/EHFMR_2022_Auszug_Report.pdf.
[2]	Alexandris K, Balaska P (2015) Sport Clubs in Greece. Sports Clubs in Europe . Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG 209-219. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17635-2
[3]	(2022) International Health, Racquet and Sports Club AssociationThe 2022 IHRSA Global Report, Boston. USA: IHRSA. Available from: https://www.ihrsa.org/publications/the-2022-ihrsa-global-report/.
[4]	Andreasson J, Johansson T (2014) Τhe Fitness Revolution: Historical Transformations in the Global Gym and Fitness Culture. Sport Sci Rev 23: 91-112. https://doi.org/10.2478/ssr-2014-0006
[5]	Middelkamp J, Rutgers H (2016) Growing the Fitness Sector Through Innovation. Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublisher. Available from: https://europeactive.blackboxpublishers.com/en/publications/management/growing-the-fitness-sector-through-innovation.
[6]	Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, et al. (2018) Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1·9 million participants. Lancet Glob Health 6: e1077-e1086. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7
[7]	NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC).Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults. Lancet (2017) 390: 2627-2642. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32129-3
[8]	Sallis R (2015) Exercise is medicine: a call to action for physicians to assess and prescribe exercise. Phys Sportsmed 43: 22-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2015.1001938
[9]	Rhodes RE, Janssen I, Bredin SS, et al. (2017) Physical activity: Health impact, prevalence, correlates and interventions. Psychol. Health 32: 942-975. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2017.1325486
[10]	(2021) European CommissionEurostat regional yearbook. Luxemburg, Luxemburg: Publications Office of the European Union. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3217494/13389103/KS-HA-21-001-EN-N.pdf.
[11]	(2018) World Health OrganizationNoncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/274512.
[12]	(2018) European CommissionSpecial Eurobarometer 472 Report: Sport and Physical Activity. Brussels, Belgium: European Commission. Available from: https://www.europarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Special-Eurobarometer-472-Sports-and-physical-activity.pdf.
[13]	(2020) DeloitteEuropean Health & Fitness Market Report 2020. Brussels, Belgium: EuropeActive. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/de/Documents/consumer-business/European-Health-and-Fitness-Market-2020-Reportauszug.pdf.
[14]	Tsitskari E, Tzetzis G, Batrakoulis A (2021) The Fitness Sector in Greece: Business Models and Marketing Perspectives. The Global Private Health & Fitness Business: A Marketing Perspective . Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-850-720211024
[15]	Tsitskari E, Batrakoulis A (2022) Investigating the marketing strategies of the health and fitness sector in Greece; the managers' perspective. Retos 43: 264-273. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v43i0.88880
[16]	Kartakoullis N, Loizou C, Georgiadou D, et al. (2020) Current Trends in the Fitness Movement in Cyprus. The Rise and Size of the Fitness Industry in Europe . Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan 117-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-53348-9_5
[17]	Thompson WR (2006) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2007. ACSM's Health Fit J 10: 8-14. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.FIT.0000252519.52241.39
[18]	Thompson WR (2007) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2008. ACSM's Health Fit J 11: 7-13. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.FIT.0000298449.25061.a8
[19]	Thompson WR (2008) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2009. ACSM's Health Fit J 12: 7-14. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.FIT.0000312432.13689.a4
[20]	Thompson WR (2009) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2010. ACSM's Health Fit J 13: 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0b013e3181bcd89b
[21]	Thompson WR (2010) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2011. ACSM's Health Fit J 14: 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0b013e3181f96ce6
[22]	Thompson WR (2011) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2012. ACSM's Health Fit J 15: 9-18. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0b013e31823373cb
[23]	Thompson WR (2012) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2013. ACSM's Health Fit J 16: 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.FIT.0000422568.47859.35
[24]	Thompson WR (2013) Now trending: worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2014. ACSM's Health Fit J 17: 10-20. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0b013e3182a955e6
[25]	Thompson WR (2014) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2015: what's driving the market. ACSM's Health Fit J 18: 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0b013e3182a955e6
[26]	Thompson WR (2015) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2016: 10th Anniversary Edition. ACSM's Health Fit J 19: 9-18. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000164
[27]	Thompson WR (2016) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2017. ACSM's Health Fit J 20: 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000252
[28]	Thompson WR (2017) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2018: the CREP edition. ACSM's Health Fit J 21: 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000341
[29]	Thompson WR (2018) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2019. ACSM's Health Fit J 22: 10-17. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000341
[30]	Thompson WR (2019) Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2020. ACSM's Health Fit J 23: 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000526
[31]	Thompson WR (2021) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2021. ACSM's Health Fit J 25: 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000621
[32]	Thompson WR (2022) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2022. ACSM's Health Fit J 26: 11-20. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000732
[33]	Thompson WR (2023) Worldwide survey reveals fitness trends for 2023. ACSM's Health Fit J 27: 9-18. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000834
[34]	Batrakoulis A, Chatzinikolaou A, Jamurtas AZ, et al. (2020) National survey of fitness trends in Greece for 2021. Int J Hum Mov Sports Sci 8: 308-320. https://doi.org/10.13189/saj.2020.080602
[35]	Batrakoulis A (2023) National survey of fitness trends in Greece for 2023. Int J Hum Mov Sports Sci 10: 1085-1097. https://doi.org/10.13189/saj.2022.100527
[36]	De la Cámara MÁ, Valcarce M, Veiga OL (2020) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2020. Retos 37: 434-441. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v37i37.74179
[37]	Franco S, Santos Rocha R, Ramalho F, et al. (2021) Tendências do Fitness em Portugal para 2021. Cuad de Psicol del Deporte 21: 242-258. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.467381
[38]	Franco S, Santos Rocha R, Ramalho F, et al. (2022) Tendências do Fitness em Portugal para 2022. Motricidade 18: 61-72. https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.25847
[39]	Veiga ÓL, Valcarce-Torrente M, King Clavero A (2017) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2017. Apunt Educ Fis y Deportes 33: 108-125. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.cat.(2017/2).128.07
[40]	Veiga OL, Valcarce-Torrente M, King Clavero A, et al. (2018) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2018. Retos 33: 279-285. https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2017/2).128.07
[41]	Veiga OL, Valcarce-Torrente M, King Clavero A, et al. (2019) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2019. Retos 35: 341-347. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i35.67353
[42]	Veiga OL, Valcarce-Torrente M, De la Cámara MÁ (2021) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2021. Retos 39: 780-789. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v1i40.83008
[43]	Veiga OL, Valcarce-Torrente M, Romero-Caballero A (2022) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2022. Retos 44: 625-635. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v44i0.91036
[44]	Veiga OL, Valcarce-Torrente M, Romero-Caballero A (2023) National survey of fitness trends in Spain for 2023. Retos 47: 680-690. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v47.96200
[45]	Kercher VM (2018) International comparisons: ACSM's worldwide survey of fitness trends. ACSM's Health Fit J 22: 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000431
[46]	Kercher V, Feito Y, Yates B (2019) Regional comparisons: the worldwide survey of fitness trends. ACSM's Health Fit J 23: 41-48. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000531
[47]	Kercher VM, Kercher K, Bennion T, et al. (2021) Fitness Trends from Around the Globe. ACSM's Health Fit J 25: 20-31. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000639
[48]	Kercher VM, Kercher K, Bennion T, et al. (2022) 2022 Fitness Trends from Around the Globe. ACSM's Health Fit J 26: 21-37. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000737
[49]	Kercher VM, Kercher K, Levy P, et al. (2023) Fitness Trends from Around the Globe. ACSM's Health Fit J 27: 19-30. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000836
[50]	Amaral PC, Palma DD (2019) Brazil and Argentina survey of fitness trends for 2020. ACSM's Health Fit J 23: 36-40. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000525
[51]	Batrakoulis A (2019) European survey of fitness trends for 2020. ACSM's Health Fit J 23: 28-35. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000523
[52]	Chávez LF, Zavalza AR, Rodríguez LE (2020) National survey of fitness trends in Mexico for 2020. Retos 39: 30-37. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i39.78113
[53]	Li YM, Han J, Liu Y, et al. (2019) China survey of fitness trends for 2020. ACSM's Health Fit J 23: 19-27. https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000522
[54]	Veiga OL, Romero-Caballero A, Valcarce-Torrente M, et al. (2022) Evolution of Spanish and worldwide fitness trends: a five-year analysis. Retos 43: 388-397. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v43i0.89033
[55]	Gronau N, Titze G (2018) Personal Training in Europe. Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublishers. Available from: https://www.blackboxpublishers.com/en/publications/personal-training/personal-training-in-europe.
[56]	Batrakoulis A, Rieger T (2014) European barometer on the top future trends in education, training and certification of the exercise professionals. J Phys Educ Sport Sci 1: 10-26.
[57]	Batrakoulis A, Rieger T, Santos Rocha R The relationship between special populations and credentials for the European fitness professionals (2016) 27.
[58]	Middelkamp J, Rutgers H (2017) Customer engagement and experience in the fitness sector. Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublishers. Available from: https://www.blackboxpublishers.com/en/publications/managementboeken/customer-engagement-and-experience-in-the-fitness-sector.
[59]	Luque M (2016) Create an inclusive experience for special populations. IDEA Fit J 13: 40-47.
[60]	Rieger T, Batrakoulis A (2016) Innovations in Fitness Education: The European Approach of Standards Development for Specialist Occupations. Growing the Fitness Sector through Innovation . Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublishers 149-164.
[61]	De Lyon ATC, Neville RD, Armour KM (2017) The role of fitness professionals in public health: A review of the literature. Quest 69: 313-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1224193
[62]	Soan EJ, Street SJ, Brownie SM, et al. (2014) Exercise physiologists: essential players in interdisciplinary teams for noncommunicable chronic disease management. J Multidiscip Healthc 7: 65-68. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s55620
[63]	Muth ND, Vargo K, Bryant CX (2015) The Role of the Fitness Professional in the Clinical Setting. Curr Sports Med Rep 14: 301-312. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0000000000000174
[64]	Bernabé B, González-Rivera MD, Campos-Izquierdo A (2017) Job satisfaction among Spanish fitness instructors: a comparative study across age, gender, work experience and higher degree studied. Eur J Hum Mov 39: 128-142. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.621526
[65]	Ramos LR, Esteves D, Vieira I, et al. (2021) Job Satisfaction of Fitness Professionals in Portugal: A Comparative Study of Gender, Age, Professional Experience, Professional Title, and Educational Qualifications. Front Psychol 11: 621526. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.621526
[66]	Vieira I, Esteves D, Ramos L, et al. (2022) Quality of life of fitness professionals in Portugal: Comparative and correlation study. Front Psychol 13: 958063. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.958063
[67]	(2019) International Health, Racquet and Sports Club AssociationThe 2019 IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report. Boston, USA: IHRSA. Available from: https://www.ihrsa.org/publications/the-2019-ihrsa-health-club-consumer-report/.
[68]	Alexandris K, Balaska P (2017) GREECE: The Impact of Economic Crisis on the Private Sport Sector. The Private Sport Sector in Europe . Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG 159-175. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61310-9_10
[69]	Paleviciene A, Dumciuviene D (2015) Socio-Economic Diversity of European Regions: Finding the Impact for Regional Performance. Procedia Econom Bus Adm 23: 1096-1101. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)00431-1
[70]	Middelkamp J, Wolfhagen P, Eemstra J (2020) Group Fitness in Europe. Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublishers. Available from: https://europeactive.blackboxpublishers.com/en/publications/management/group-fitness-in-europe.
[71]	Abou Sawan S, Nunes EA, Lim C, et al. (2022) The Health Benefits of Resistance Exercise: Beyond Hypertrophy and Big Weights. Exerc Sport Mov 1: e00001. https://doi.org/10.1249/ESM.0000000000000001
[72]	Petridis L, Batrakoulis A (2013) The Running Movement in Greece: Investigating the Profile of the Modern Marathon Runners. Hellenic J Sport Rec Manag 10: 43-54.
[73]	Batrakoulis A, Jamurtas AZ, Fatouros IG (2021) High-Intensity Interval Training in Metabolic Diseases: Physiological Adaptations. ACSM's Health Fit J 25: 54-59. https://doi.org/: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000703
[74]	Batrakoulis A, Fatouros IG (2022) Psychological Adaptations to High-Intensity Interval Training in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Topical Review. Sports 10: 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports10050064
[75]	Batrakoulis A, Jamurtas AZ, Metsios GS, et al. (2022) Comparative efficacy of 5 exercise types on cardiometabolic health in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 15: e008243. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.121.008243
[76]	Batrakoulis A (2022) Psychophysiological Adaptations to Yoga Practice in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Topical Review. Diseases 10: 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases10040107
[77]	Batrakoulis A (2022) Psychophysiological Adaptations to Pilates Training in Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Topical Review. Diseases 10: 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases10040071
[78]	Batrakoulis A (2022) Role of Mind-Body Fitness in Obesity. Diseases 11: 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases11010001
[79]	Valcarce-Torrente M, Arroyo-Nieto A, Veiga OL, et al. (2022) National survey of fitness trends in Colombia for 2022. Retos 45: 483-495. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v45i0.93100
[80]	Vecchiato M, Quinto G, Palermi S, et al. (2022) Are Gyms a Feasible Setting for Exercise Training Interventions in Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors? An Italian 10-Years Cross-Sectional Survey Comparison. Int J Environ Res Public Health 19: 2407. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042407
[81]	Štajer V, Milovanovic IM, Todorovic N, et al. (2022) Let's (Tik) Talk About Fitness Trends. Front Public Health 10: 899949. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.899949
[82]	Tsitskari E, Batrakoulis A (2022) To Become Digital or Not... The Case of Greece. The Digital Transformation of the Fitness Sector: A Global Perspective . Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Limited 31-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-860-020221005
[83]	López-Valenciano A, Mayo X, Liguori G, et al. (2020) Changes in sedentary behaviour in European Union adults between 2002 and 2017. BMC Public Health 20: 1206. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09293-1
[84]	Middelkamp J, Rutgers H (2020) HORIZON 2030-The future of the health and fitness sector. Den Bosch, the Netherlands: BlackBoxPublishers.

Reader Comments

Your name:*

Email:*
© 2023 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)