Four million join National Fitness Day activities Read more at https://www.sportindustry.biz/news/four-million-join-national-fitness-day-activities#jzF8QmDVT6Q6t18L.99

National Fitness Day 2018 saw 4.1m people directly motivated to get active on Wednesday 26th September, according to results released by organiser ukactive.

The figures include more than 1.25m children and young people, who participated in 10@10 – a schools programme in which students are led through 10 minutes of physical activity at 10am.

Scotland was revealed as the most “active” region on the day, clocking up an average 57 minutes of physical activity per person.

The results, which are based on the same methodology used for the This Girl Can campaign, also reveal that 58,000 people got active on National Fitness Day in the workplace – motivated by workplace partner AXA PPP healthcare’s ‘Flying Start’ campaign.

The initiative was aimed at encouraging employees to get active before work or at the office, with workplaces across the country signed up for official activity sessions on-the-day.

Those aged 25-34 were most likely to report being active in their workplace (24%), indicating a possible future trend in working cultures.

Chris Horlick, director at AXA PPP healthcare, said: “Employers have a key role to play when it comes to supporting an active workforce and the health benefits of being physically active can pay dividends for employees and employers alike.

“Events such as National Fitness Day help to highlight that fitness can be fun, and can help prompt healthier habits.”

Ukactive, the non-profit health body which coordinates National Fitness Day, claims the campaign saw significant year-on-year increases in awareness and engagement across all regions in 2018.

Activities included a high-profile launch event that saw DDMIX founder and Strictly Come Dancing judge Dame Darcey Bussell leading hundreds of members of the public in a mass dance-fitness class at the City of London’s Guildhall Courtyard in the heart of London, with cameras from BBC, ITV and Channel 5 in attendance – helping propel the media reach of the campaign up to over 66m.

The event also once again proved popular across social media, with 8,000 mentions on the day, including posts from Arsenal FC, comic-book writer Stan Lee and Loose Women’s Andrea McLean taking reach to 64m.

Commenting on the results, ukactive strategic projects director Will Smithard said: “It’s fantastic to see that National Fitness Day managed to inspire physical activity in every region of the UK, truly getting the whole nation moving for the day.

“Members of the public got active at home, in the gym, out and about, and thanks to our partners AXA PPP healthcare, in the workplace.

“We want to broaden the reach of National Fitness Day even further next year and are eager to work with as many parties as possible to ensure everyone in the UK is able to experience the fun of fitness.”

Read more at https://www.sportindustry.biz/news/four-million-join-national-fitness-day-activities#jzF8QmDVT6Q6t18L.99