The economic contribution of fitness centres in Australia - 2 February 2010

Last year, Access Economics, one of Australia’s leading economic consultancies was commissioned by Fitness Australia to assess the economic contribution of fitness centres in Australia. There are more than 1500 fitness centres across Australia generating income of hundreds of millions of dollars annually.Estimates indicate up to 1.7 million Australians have used fitness centres, of whom many may be regular users. The report calculates total direct and indirect (such as repair and maintenance costs) economic contribution of fitness centres to be as much as $872 million annually. Interestingly, broader economic impacts are also examined, such as the role of fitness centres in preventive health at a time when health care spending in Australia has reached around 9% of gross domestic product (GDP). Physical inactivity is a key modifiable lifestyle risk factor for many preventable diseases. With direct health care costs for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis and various cancers, (the four diseases most associated with physical inactivity), estimated at around $15 billion each year, the fitness industry is in an incredibly strong position to make a contribution to improving population health through regular physical activity. Download the full report here click here.

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