Fitness Industry Roundup: Global Health & Wellness News

Research can be the most important factor in pushing policy. This month, we have our eyes on two reports that can help move the needle and advance the political impact of the health and fitness industry. First, let’s take a look at the prestigious Global Wellness Award winners.

Global Wellness Award Winners Recognized at 16th Annual Conference

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) hosted its 16th annual conference to recognize Global Wellness Award winners earlier this month. These awards are presented to individuals who contribute to the GWS’s goal of positively shaping the future of wellness worldwide and make it central to their personal missions. Rick Stollmeyer, founder of Mindbody, an IHRSA member, and CEO of Inspired Flight, received the Leader in Innovation Award, sponsored by Natura Bisse. As Rick accepted the award, he said, “This conference has helped remind me who I am and is truly changing the world. I’m honored to be part of it.”

Read more about the winners.

Research Shows Wellness Spending Increases Happiness & Longevity

A new report from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), Defining Wellness Policy, outlines the importance of wellness policy and the relationship between wellness spending, happiness, and health outcomes. As reported in Athletech News, the research shows that for every $844 annual increase in wellness spending per person, happiness levels increase 7% and life expectancy increases by more than 1.26 years. The GWI report includes an evidence-based argument for why governments should implement wellness policy and how it can impact the economy and population health. In 2023, GWI will release Wellness Policy Toolkits to influence actions of governments and stakeholders and educate them on best practices.

Learn more.

Gympass Report Analyzes Employee Wellness Needs

According to the Gympass State of Work-Life Wellness ‘22 report, employee stress is at an all-time high—48% of employees said that their well-being declined in 2022. Cesar Carvalho, founder & CEO of Gympass, says, “We, as leaders, all want our employees to thrive, both at work and in their personal lives. But we must first listen to our people to make that vision possible.” While 83% of respondents believe well-being is just as important as their salary, 85% are more likely to stay in their role if their employer focused more on well-being. The report also notes that those who exercise regularly or eat healthy are 40% more likely to have better job performance—a win-win for companies and employees. The first step to improving employee wellness is signing the CEO Pledge for Physical Activity.

Download the full report.

Physical Activity Alliance, Myzone Annual Challenge Sparks Interest in UK

Another successful Congressional Physical Activity Challenge, hosted by the Physical Activity Alliance and Myzone, caught the interest of UK politicians. This fall, parliamentary individuals and teams will follow lead and use MZ-Switch heart rate monitors to measure effort levels which are converted into a points system known as Myzone Effort points (MEPs), reports Fit Tech. "Initiatives such as this physical activity challenge can play a major role in helping to influence the general public and underlining the importance of activity as an essential part of daily life,” said Huw Edwards, CEO of UK Active, host of the Parliamentary exercise challenge.

Find out more.

Club Northwest Scheduled to Open Largest Open-air Commercial Fitness Space

IHRSA members Club Northwest and BeaverFit partnered to build the largest known open-air commercial fitness facility in the U.S., according to BeaverFit. During pandemic restrictions and closures, Club Northwest continued to serve the community with makeshift outdoor solutions. The popularity of the outdoor spaces are what led to creating the facility, said Jesse Sallas, director of people & programming at Club Northwest. “Given the impact it made on our members, the community as a whole, as well as our team, it became obvious very quickly that this temporary solution needed to become permanent.” Opening at the end of this year at Club Northwest in Grants Pass, OR, the 2,500+-square-foot facility will house a 12-foot bouldering wall, more than 1,000-square-feet of turf, a custom Shred Shed, and more. A BeaverFit SUNPRO will encapsulate the area.

Read more.

Has your health or fitness-related business been featured in the news recently? We want to know! Send a link to any news article or video that highlighted your business to pr@ihrsa.org, and we may include it in a future issue of the Fitness Industry Roundup.