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Editor's letter
Getting more ambitious

Consumers tell us they want support in leading longer, healthier lives and we’re the only industry sector with the capability of delivering on this, so we must ensure strategy is aligned with demand


Awhole raft of new research indicates we can afford to be increasingly ambitious for our sector, as it becomes ever more critical to consumers.

Insight from the Vitality Research Institute has found that on average, 16 per cent of a woman’s life and 13 per cent of a man’s life can now be expected to be spent in poor health.

Life expectancy has grown in the developed world, but healthspan – the years spent in good health – is not keeping pace, creating distress for people and their families and exerting a drag on economies and societies.

Demand is growing from consumers for solutions to this as people wake up to this challenge and we’re increasingly pushing on an open door in promoting healthy lifestyle interventions.

US health club operators Life Time produces an annual consumer insight study, with this year’s edition highlighting the value people place on health clubs in helping them maintain their wellbeing.

The study – US consumer health and wellness survey – found the majority (51 per cent) saying that ‘living longer healthier lives’ is a bigger motivation than ‘looking better’ (9 per cent) when it comes to being a member of a health club.

With health data and consumer aspirations aligning so powerfully, the health and fitness sector is optimally positioned to deliver the support people need to build physical activity, wellness and recovery into their lives in a manageable and sustainable way.

We must ensure industry strategy is sufficiently ambitious when it comes to our reach, so we’re skilling-up teams to deliver the services people are demanding.

This includes collaborating seamlessly with the health sector, positioning ourselves as one of the key industries of the future and ensuring we are experts in consumer insight.

We have to recognise that we’re effectively the only sector in society offering this support. Where else can people get sound advice about how to live more healthily? Where else do they have the opportunity to exercise in a way that fits in with a busy life? Where else can they get access to specialist equipment and programmes? What we do is special and unique.

Recognising this, ensuring we deliver support to people in all parts of society in a way they can afford and that makes them feel welcome is vital.

If we can do this, we will play our part in closing the healthspan gap and empowering people to live the longer, healthier lives they dream about.

Liz Terry, editor
[email protected]

FEATURED SUPPLIERS

Cornerstone Connect helps Active Blackpool tackle health inequalities
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy. [more...]

CoverMe extends matching service to personal training, rewriting how members and personal trainers connect
CoverMe, the global leader in fitness workforce management, today launches CoverMe PT, an on-demand personal training platform that connects the right personal trainer to the right client in under 10 seconds. [more...]
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At IndigoFitness, we create intelligent training spaces that elevate fitness facilities across indus [more...]
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Precor promises precision-quality products with steadfast reliability that are inspired by exerciser [more...]
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03-05 Jul 2026

World Championship in Massage

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23-26 Aug 2026

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Get HCM digital magazine and ezines FREE
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Jobs    News   Products   Magazine
Editor's letter
Getting more ambitious

Consumers tell us they want support in leading longer, healthier lives and we’re the only industry sector with the capability of delivering on this, so we must ensure strategy is aligned with demand


Awhole raft of new research indicates we can afford to be increasingly ambitious for our sector, as it becomes ever more critical to consumers.

Insight from the Vitality Research Institute has found that on average, 16 per cent of a woman’s life and 13 per cent of a man’s life can now be expected to be spent in poor health.

Life expectancy has grown in the developed world, but healthspan – the years spent in good health – is not keeping pace, creating distress for people and their families and exerting a drag on economies and societies.

Demand is growing from consumers for solutions to this as people wake up to this challenge and we’re increasingly pushing on an open door in promoting healthy lifestyle interventions.

US health club operators Life Time produces an annual consumer insight study, with this year’s edition highlighting the value people place on health clubs in helping them maintain their wellbeing.

The study – US consumer health and wellness survey – found the majority (51 per cent) saying that ‘living longer healthier lives’ is a bigger motivation than ‘looking better’ (9 per cent) when it comes to being a member of a health club.

With health data and consumer aspirations aligning so powerfully, the health and fitness sector is optimally positioned to deliver the support people need to build physical activity, wellness and recovery into their lives in a manageable and sustainable way.

We must ensure industry strategy is sufficiently ambitious when it comes to our reach, so we’re skilling-up teams to deliver the services people are demanding.

This includes collaborating seamlessly with the health sector, positioning ourselves as one of the key industries of the future and ensuring we are experts in consumer insight.

We have to recognise that we’re effectively the only sector in society offering this support. Where else can people get sound advice about how to live more healthily? Where else do they have the opportunity to exercise in a way that fits in with a busy life? Where else can they get access to specialist equipment and programmes? What we do is special and unique.

Recognising this, ensuring we deliver support to people in all parts of society in a way they can afford and that makes them feel welcome is vital.

If we can do this, we will play our part in closing the healthspan gap and empowering people to live the longer, healthier lives they dream about.

Liz Terry, editor
[email protected]

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FEATURED SUPPLIERS

Cornerstone Connect helps Active Blackpool tackle health inequalities
Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy. [more...]

CoverMe extends matching service to personal training, rewriting how members and personal trainers connect
CoverMe, the global leader in fitness workforce management, today launches CoverMe PT, an on-demand personal training platform that connects the right personal trainer to the right client in under 10 seconds. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers  
COMPANY PROFILES
IndigoFitness

At IndigoFitness, we create intelligent training spaces that elevate fitness facilities across indus [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  

DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

03-05 Jul 2026

World Championship in Massage

Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
+ More diary  
 


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Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

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