1/3 of UK adults want to be more physically active
The results from the latest Hearts & Minds research provide some important insights for the fight against inactivity. There are millions of UK adults who want to be more physical active than they currently are. 17 million people to be precise.
So what’s holding them back?
Interestingly, it’s not a lack of time or money. Rather they feel like current sports and fitness offers are not for people like them. Some believe that their age or mobility holds them back. Others fear that they won’t be good enough or won’t fit in.
Targeting inactivity
So what does this mean for organisations who are funding and delivering grassroots sport and physical activity? Too often it’s assumed that people want to take part in more sport and physical activity, but something external is holding them back. The price is too high, or they don’t have time between work and family commitments. While these are legitimate challenges, the reality is easier to fix. Millions of UK adults want to be more physically active, but don’t feel that what’s currently on offer is suitable to them. In some cases, this may be because they have outdated views of what local gyms and leisure centres can offer. In other cases, they are right.
Start with a rich and current understanding of your target customers
For me the key insight from this quarter’s Hearts & Minds research is that not all inactive people need to change their behaviours. Some just need to find activities that have been designed for “people like me”. If you’re not sure what your current, lapsed and potential customers think of your current programmes, then MyCustomerLens can help you. Our browser-based insight platform is providing sport & fitness organisations with the up to date insights they need to reach, engage and retain more customers. To find out more, please get in touch. You can also find the full Hearts & Minds press release here — Hearts & Minds is a syndicated study which has been developed by Sport MR and MyCustomerLens to meet the evolving insight needs of the sport and fitness industry. Research is conducted monthly among a nationally representative sample of the population. Hearts & Minds contains a treasure trove of data on sport and physical activity, and offers a cost-effective multi-partner approach to data gathering.
