The annual fitness trends report from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), has for the second year in a row cited wearable technology as the number one fitness trend for 2017. The survey is a benchmark for trends across the health and fitness industry, and is a staple guide for health and fitness industry professionals.
Are we surprised by this? Given wearable technology first appeared in the top trends report only last year, and was catapulted straight into the top spot, it seems the fusion of fitness and technology is a trend that is quick revolutionising the way we not only keep active, but track our levels of physical fitness.
Our purple paper GENERATION F – A Consumer Behaviour Insight into the Growing Wellbeing Market revealed that over half of us use some form of fitness tracker on a daily basis – that being anything that measures activities such as how many steps the wearer has taken, calories burned, heart rate and sleep, as well as offering GPS tracking. This stat is one that truly resonates in the Escapade office, with over half of us owning a FitBit or Jawbone, as well as being regular users of MyFitnessPal.
Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, the lead author of the survey and associate dean in the College of Education & Human Development at Georgia State University in Atlanta, said: “Technology is now a must-have in our daily lives. Everyone can easily count steps taken or calories burned using a wearable device or a smart phone. The health data collected by wearable technology can be used to inform the user about their current fitness level and help them make healthier lifestyle choices.”
SO WHAT ELSE MADE THE TOP 10?
1. Wearable Technology
2. Body Weight Training
3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
4. Further Educated and Experienced Fitness Professionals
5. Strength Training
6. Group Training
7. Exercise as Medicine
8. Yoga
9. Personal Training
10. Exercise for Weight Loss
The full results can be found in ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal and in the article Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2017.
Our consumer lifestyle PR team specialise in connecting everyday brands with everyday people across four core sectors; Consumer Lifestyle PR, Food & Drink PR, Consumer Technology PR and Sport, Health & Wellbeing PR. More information on these areas of knowledge can be found at www.escapadepr.com/about-us.
