National Fitness Day 2023 reaches 88 million people as campaign puts spotlight on lifelong health

The National Fitness Day campaign for 2023 reached a total audience of 88.5 million people, helping to inspire healthier lives across the UK and beyond.

Powered by ukactive's members and partners, National Fitness Day 2023 took place on Wednesday 20 September, under the theme 'Your Health is for Life', with free activities hosted by gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres, sports clubs, studios, schools, workplaces, and online providers.

Results published by ukactive and reviewed by Savanta show that in the UK, an estimated 10.2 million people were directly motivated to participate in an activity on the day itself, while many more were encouraged to be active throughout the campaign by further events and communications.

The global media reach of the campaign, measured by Vuelio, shows an audience of 57.2 million ­– up from 48.7 million in 2022 – following extensive press coverage.

Among hundreds of examples of national and regional stories, the BBC's Sports Editor, Dan Roan, explored the UK's physical inactivity crisis, and the Daily Mail's Science Editor, Victoria Allen, reported on ukactive's polling which showed mental health, for the first time, as the biggest motivation for Brits to exercise.

Social media plays a major role in driving the campaign, and this year saw a total global reach of 31.3 million people engaged across the major platforms.

People of all ages and abilities were inspired to share their personal experiences and health stories on Instagram, X and Facebook, as well as celebrities such as Joe Wicks and Carol Vorderman, who also showed their love and support for the day.

The campaign was elevated by three major new partners for National Fitness Day: men's mental health charity, Movember, sports reward platform, Endurance Zone, and sports nutrition business, Optimum Nutrition.

Each partner brought unique expertise and helped to drive important messaging around the benefits of physical activity as part of a healthier, happier life – from sleep and nutrition to exercise routines and social connections.

This year also saw the launch of the first Fitness Day Rewards app, delivered by Endurance Zone, which offers prizes and discounts as incentives for being more active. The app can still be downloaded for both Apple and Android users until February 2024.

The campaign culminated with thousands of activities being held across the UK on 20 September, beginning with the National Fitness Day kick-off event, which for the first time was held in Manchester, hosted by GM Active in partnership with ukactive.

Source: UK active