The UK’s fittest region 2020

How did we work it out?

With this increased enthusiasm for fitness fuelling our curiosity, we decided to find out which region of the UK had become the fittest region of 2020. Since there are many ways to exercise, from going to the gym to following an online workout, we created a combination of metrics to level out the playing field.

First, we calculated the number of fitness facilities registered with Google My Business per 100,000 population. ‘Fitness facilities’ included gyms, fitness centres, swimming pools, sports facilities, and self-employed personal trainers.

We then counted the number of Instagram posts that used #fitness per 100,000 population for each region, in order to see how often people posted online about their exercise routine.

Utilising a YouGov survey, we then asked over 2,000 UK residents over the age of 18 about their fitness habits. We found out about the number of fitness monitors owned, fitness apps downloaded, and fitness products purchased. We also discovered the number of gym memberships subscribed to, in addition to the number of people who felt they had exceeded their fitness goals.

To determine the fittest region, we then combined these factors to give each region an overall score.

Which region has the most fitness facilities?

The market for fitness facilities is continually growing. It was estimated that the market for personal trainers in the UK will grow from approximately £600 million in 2015 to approximately £670 million in 2020.

With a growing interest in health and fitness, the demand for fitness facilities is bigger than ever. In comparison to the size of their population, the West Midlands had the most fitness facilities with 10 fitness facilities registered with Google My Business per 100,000 population.

This is ten times more than the number of fitness facilities available in London, as the London region only had 1 fitness facility registered with Google My Business per 100,000 people.

Which region uses #fitness the most?

Scotland was found to show off their physical prowess the most, with 179 Instagram posts using the hashtag ‘fitness’ per 100,000 users, closely followed by the North East who posted 103 #fitness pictures per 100,000 people.

Those least likely to post on the social media platform about their fitness regime were people from the South East as there were only 28 Instagram posts using ‘fitness per 100,000 population for this region.

Where are fitness monitors or trackers most likely to be used?

Out of the 2,273 adults we asked, those from the South East use and own the highest number of fitness monitors or trackers with 181 South Easterners admitted they use and own such devices. The North West use and own the second-highest amount of fitness monitors or tackers (170 responses), with London coming in at a close third (161 responses).

In comparison, only 91 respondents from the North East stated that they used or owned fitness monitors or trackers during their workout and fitness regimes.

Which region uses fitness apps the most?

We have turned to fitness apps more and more to measure our athletic performance and prompt us to do more exercise. A recent study revealed that the number one app downloaded by daily active users in Great Britain was Fitbit, with approximately 29.2 thousand Google Play store users using the services daily.

We asked over 18s living in the UK whether they downloaded and used any fitness apps. The North East were the least likely to download fitness apps to help them with their health and fitness routine, with only 66 responders from this region saying they have a fitness app downloaded.

In contrast, 158 people from the North West confirmed that they have downloaded a fitness app making the North West the region that is most likely to use a fitness app.

Where are the most fitness products purchased?

Again, the North West proved their dedication and enthusiasm for fitness by being the region that purchases the most fitness products. 290 responders from the North West confessed that they had recently purchased a fitness product. This is to be expected, as a recent survey demonstrated that in 2019, an estimated 88.8 thousand people spent £500 or more on equipment to keep fit in 12 months before the survey.

The North East was the least interested in spending money on fitness products, with only 109 responders from this region admitting that they purchased products to help them with their fitness routine.

Who was the most likely to exceed their fitness goals?

In another recent study, 88% of people expected their fitness levels to stay the same or increase post lockdown, with 76% of people reporting they wanted to improve their fitness and wellbeing.

We asked 2,273 adults across the UK whether they believed that had exceeded a fitness goal this year. With 152 people from the South East feeling like they surpassed their health and exercise objectives than they originally intended, the South East accomplished their fitness goals more so than any other region.

In comparison, it seems that the North East still has some room for improvement when it comes to accomplishing their health objectives. Only 77 people asked from this region believed that they had exceeded their fitness goals.

Which region has the most gym memberships?

Gyms are a significant part of many people’s fitness journey. Whether using equipment or meeting a personal trainer, such facilities have become essential to our workout routines. In a 2020 national fitness survey, 35% of people said that they would consider buying a gym membership post lockdown.

People in the North East and Wales were the least likely to have a gym membership, with 265 and 280 people from each area respectively admitting they paid for such admission.

The regions with the most gym memberships included the South East (477), London (457), and the North West 431.