Rise of the fitness fanatics: A third of Hong Kongers run for at least half an hour each week

Fitness and wellbeing is integral to our health and happiness. Much of our waking and working lives are increasingly spent in front of a computer, meaning that many Hong Kongers need to work that much harder to maintain an active lifestyle.

New research from YouGov, the world’s leading online research firm, explores locals’ fitness regimes. The findings reveal the differences between genders and ages when it comes to consumers’ favourite ways to keep fit.

A third of Hong Kongers run for at least 30 minutes each week

Running is the most popular form of exercise in Hong Kong, with a third (35%) of respondents running for at least 30 minutes a week. Other popular exercise includes exercise classes (done by 19% of Hong Kongers at least once per week), weight training (16%) and swimming (14%).

The least popular activities played on a regular basis are golf (played by 11% of respondents at least once a month) and team sports (19%). However, men are significantly more likely to play team sports than women, with24% of men play team sport at least once a month, compared with 14% of women.

Price is the most important factor when considering gym membership

Despite the palpable benefits of having a healthy workforce just 6% of full time employees receive a discounted gym membership from their current employer. However, a quarter (26%) of those polled would consider paying for a gym membership in the next 12 months, suggesting that there is a considerable appetite for use of a fitness centre. Young people are more likely to consider a gym membership in the next year, with 30% of 18-44 year olds being open to paying, compared to 21% of over 45s.

Nearly three quarters of respondents (74%) consider price to be the most important factor when considering gym membership. Other priorities include environment and location (a priority for 58%), variety of equipment (36%) and whether the gym has been recommended by family or friends (19%).

*Data was collected online between 4 and 7 July 2017 using YouGov’s panel of over 5 million people worldwide. It was weighted to be representative of the online population. Sample size: 1,013