Healthy but lonely gen Z driving a record surge in gym membership

Record numbers of Britons are going to the gym, with the desire of younger adults to socialise while getting fit, instead of drinking in the pub, driving a record surge in membership, a report shows.

- Denis Campbell

In all, 11.5 million people aged 16 and over now belong to a gym in the UK, a rise of 1.6 million from 2022. It means one in six people have taken out a membership.

Generation Z is the key demographic that underlies the boom, according to the report's authors, ukactive, which represents most of Britain's fitness operators.

The growth is particularly evident among people born between 1997 and 2012, who are now aged between 13 and 28, who already have a reputation as the healthiest generation ever.

Huw Edwards, ukactive's chief executive, said: "The fact that record numbers of people in the UK are joining and using health and fitness clubs is a significant moment as it shows that more people are making a conscious decision to get active in order to improve their physical and often also their mental health.