Research
HFA research brings forward trusted data and expert perspectives to inform business strategy and to educate policy makers and the public about the health and fitness sector’s positive economic impact.
Research
Your source for trusted data on the fitness industry – informing strategy, advocacy, and growth.
Latest research
-
From Weight Loss to Lasting Value: Structured Exercise and the Economics of GLP-1 TherapyThis white paper is complimentary. GLP-1 medications are reshaping obesity care and creating new opportunities to improve long-term health outcomes. But weight loss alone is not the full measure of success. As use of these medications grows, policymakers, payers, healthcare providers, and patients face an important question: what helps ensure that the benefits of GLP-1… -
Fitness Industry Traffic (FIT) TrackerThe Fitness Industry Traffic (FIT) Tracker is a new resource from the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) that provides regular updates on foot traffic to nearly 11,000 fitness facilities across the United States. Each quarter, the FIT Tracker analyzes millions of anonymized location data points to track visits to gyms and studios nationwide—providing timely, data-driven insights into… -
2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends2025 marked a new highpoint for consumer engagement with the US fitness facility industry. A record 81 million Americans belonged to a gym, studio, or other fitness facility, pushing membership penetration to 26.1% of the US population ages 6 and older. The 2026 US Health & Fitness Consumer Report: Headline Trends distills these and many… -
Operators: Take the Fitness Industry Data SurveyOne submission. Two flagship reports. Practical value for participating companies and the wider fitness industry. Each year, the Health & Fitness Association collects financial and operational data from operators across the industry to produce two cornerstone research publications: the 2026 Fitness Industry Benchmarking Report (FIBR) and the 2026 HFA Global Report. In 2026, the process…
U.S. Economic Impact Data
The US Health and Fitness Industry is a $22.4 billion economic powerhouse, according to economic impact data that outlines the size and impact of the industry related to jobs, wages and taxes. View country, state and congressional district data.
Have a research question or custom data request? Contact the HFA Research Team
HFA research reports are only available to HFA members.