Viva Leisure study shows Australians rate mental health as top reason for attending the gym

New research by leading Australian health club operator Viva Leisure reveals Australians see their gym membership as a necessity, not a luxury, to help with their mental health – even as the cost of living rises.

The Viva Leisure research conducted by Roy Morgan polled just over 1000 participants in its Club Lime Member Survey, which showed 71% of members rated mental wellbeing as the top reason for engaging in health and wellness activities.

The data presents a growing trend among Australians who better understand the importance of taking care of one’s own physical and mental wellbeing.

Mental health is increasingly being recognised as having a vital role in overall quality of life, with people making lifestyle changes to ensure they have a better balance between physical activity and time spent focusing on their personal wellbeing.

This was shown again to have significance for members, with a notable 89% agreeing that their membership helps them to reduce their daily stress levels.

While Australians may have considered a gym membership a luxury expense in the past, the statistics show many consider their gym membership as an investment in their health.

Despite rising living costs, gym goers are not willing to sacrifice their memberships, with 67% of members agreeing their Club Lime health club membership is a necessity, not a luxury.

Furthermore, 86% of health club members agreed their membership is important to their overall wellbeing and 71% agreed that their quality of life would be negatively impacted without their health club membership.

Health club memberships are widely regarded as a long-term investment, with 80% of members agreeing their membership will help save future costs associated with aging and illness.

Harry Konstantinou, Viva Leisure Chief Executive and Managing Director shares “at Viva Leisure, we are dedicated to helping our members achieve their health and fitness goals. We offer a variety of services to promote physical activity, mental wellbeing and healthy lifestyle habits. Our clubs offer an array of services designed to promote health and wellbeing - through group fitness classes, personal trainers and state-of-the-art equipment to facilitate each individual’s journey. Ultimately we are focused on helping our members become confident in themselves and feel empowered by reaching their goals.”

Club Lime Member Survey Results:

• 67% agree their Club Lime health club membership is a necessity, not a luxury

• 80% agree their membership helps them save on future costs associated with aging and illness

• The top 3 reasons Club Lime members engage in health activities are mental wellbeing (71%), achieving a personal fitness goal (59%) and to lose weight (51%)

• 86% agree their membership is important to their overall wellbeing

• 81% of members are satisfied with their membership

• 89% of members agree their Club Lime membership helps reduce their daily stress

• 66% will cut back on eating out and takeaways, 65% will cut back on new clothes and shoes, while only 25% will cut back on gym and health

To access a full copy of the report, visit vivaleisure.group/