When the coronavirus set in worldwide in early 2020, it almost immediately created significant lifestyle changes for nearly all Americans. And among the most notable impacts, many American families’ health and fitness routines were drastically altered — and in some cases even eliminated. Further, due to restrictions placed on in-person shopping in an effort to thwart the virus’ spread, access to groceries and other supplies that are vital to health maintenance became more limited.
So, moving forward, what will some of the lasting repercussions of the coronavirus era be on Americans’ mindsets regarding their health and fitness? According to a recent nationwide survey of health and fitness consumers conducted by The Brandon Agency, one of them is that many Americans are coming out of the pandemic highly motivated to get themselves in better shape — and with a renewed focus on ensuring their children maintain healthful habits.
An insight-heavy study
The TBA survey, entitled “The 2021 National Fitness & Nutrition Consumer Study,” was conducted in late March/early April 2021 and offers a broad range of insights for the health and fitness industry. Further, it provides a number of actionable takeaways for owners and managers of health- and fitness-related businesses.
Just a few of the interesting facts the marketing research study revealed regarding the mindset of post-pandemic health and fitness consumers:
- The majority of parents surveyed reported seeing a decline in their children’s fitness levels over the course of 2020 — and two-thirds of those parents said that they are actively making plans to assist their children in re-attaining their pre-pandemic fitness levels.
- A clear majority of parents surveyed reported that they considered their children’s health to be excellent before the pandemic (65% of parent responses), during the pandemic (62% of responses) and coming out of the pandemic (66% of responses).
- A smaller portion of respondents with children gave neutral answers regarding their kids’ health, with 27% giving middle-of-the-road responses when asked about their children’s health levels before the pandemic, 31% doing so when asked about their children’s health levels during the pandemic, and 27% providing a neutral response when asked about their expectations for their children’s health levels over the next 12 months.
- The smallest segments of responding parents rated their children’s health terrible before the pandemic (8%), during the pandemic (7%) and in the 12 months moving forward (7%).
Ready to learn more about the survey results? Download our exclusive white paper, “The New Fitness & Nutrition Consumer,” to take a deep dive into the data and the mindset of today’s fitness consumer in our post-COVID world.
Need assistance with getting your health & fitness-focused business back on track — and beyond — after the tough 2020 the pandemic delivered? Our team of marketing experts has gone to great lengths to get inside the mind of the fitness & nutrition consumer, and it’s eager to help. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your health- or nutrition-focused business grow.
Ed Lammon
Managing Editor of Agency Content
Ed Lammon is the Editorial Director of Blog and Long-Form Content for Brandon. A native of Enterprise, AL (home of the world’s only monument to an insect), Ed is a 1998 Journalism graduate of Auburn University (War Eagle!). When not working, he enjoys travel, hiking, telling dad jokes, and hanging out with friends and family (particularly around campfires, at concerts and at tailgates).