Source: Sports & Fitness Industry Association
March 8, 2016 – Silver Spring, MD – Results of the 2016 Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report, published by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), shows overall participation in physical activities increased slightly in 2015.
Of the physically active, 56% of the population ages six and up participated in at least one high caloric burning activity per day. These findings represent the most positive signs in activity in almost 10 years.
Inactivity decreased for most age groups, with 13 to 17 year olds having the biggest drop (1.4%) and 35 to 44 year olds having the lowest decrease (0.2%) in 2015. While those Americans between the ages of 45 to 54 remained flat in inactivity, there was a gradual increase in inactivity for 55 to 64 year olds.
Team sports experienced the most upbeat marks, including increases in participation (at least once in the past 12 months) of 4% or more in baseball, cheerleading, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, indoor soccer, team swimming, as well as flag and tackle football.
“The increase of participation in a broad range of team sports is a good sign overall,” said SFIA president and CEO, Tom Cove. “It’s still too early to determine if this is a trend; however, it does appear to be good news for the country and the industry as a whole. On the other hand, we still have a long way to go as participation numbers are nowhere near the level they were prior to 2007 and where they need to be for a healthy America,” added Cove.
The 2016 Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activities Topline Participation Report is available for download at www.sfia.org/reports. The report is free of charge to all SFIA members and is available for purchase by other interested parties.
The SFIA will host a webinar on March 24 at 2:00p.m. Eastern time to provide further insights into the Topline Report and the soon-to-be released 2016 Manufacturers’ Sales by Category Report. Registration is now open for the webinar at www.sfia.org/calendar.
ABOUT SFIA: The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the #1 source for sport and fitness
research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products and fitness industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, industry affairs, and member services. For more information, please visit www.sfia.org.
