28% of Brits avoid the gym because it’s ‘boring’

Matthew Drury, Director and Co-owner of Saturn Visual Solutions

UNITED KINGDOM, June 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new piece of research could hold the key to getting around nine million people in the UK to be more active, offering some positive news for the NHS which spends around £6.5 million annually on treating obesity-related ill-health issues.

The research, commissioned by Saturn Visual Solutions, looked into people’s mindset on how they spent their leisure time and found that 28 per cent of people in the UK avoided going to the gym because they thought it was ‘boring’.

The findings come after a new report in The Lancet* revealed that, by 2030, almost half a billion teenagers around the world will be overweight or obese - 143 million more than in 2015. A previous study – also from The Lancet** – found that more than half of adults and a third of children and young people worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050.

The research indicates that gyms that are more ‘fun’ and offer a sense of community would increase their appeal and help to counter the growing obesity crisis.

The research could also offer inspiration to gym operators who are bidding to attract and retain members in an increasingly competitive market and against ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

There were clear differences in perceptions in different age groups in the findings. More than a third (36%) of people aged over 44 years old were more likely to avoid the gym due to perceptions of it being boring, whereas this figure dropped to 21.5 per cent amongst the respondents under 44 years old.

From a gender perspective, women (29%) were slightly more likely to avoid the gym due to perceptions of it being a boring place than men (27%).

For 66% of respondents, a ‘fun’ experience constituted something that made them smile, 56% said visual interest was vital and almost half (48%) were boosted by places with a sense of collective enjoyment.

The survey was commissioned by Saturn Visual Solutions, a digital signage consultancy that works with leisure companies to help them improve their customer experience and increase profitability. It was carried out by OnePoll with 2,000 UK-based, adult full-time and part-time workers.

Matthew Drury, Director and Co-owner of Saturn Visual Solutions said: “Our research indicates that there is a clear public health benefit, as well as an obvious economic one, to creating stimulating environments in gyms, so that members engage more and return often.

“When more than a quarter of people identify gyms as being something they avoid due to boredom, there is obvious room for improvement. People are telling us that they are drawn to places that are visually interesting, foster a sense of community and promote feelings of happiness. As more gyms look to place a focus on supporting members’ mental wellbeing, as well as their fitness, nurturing these types of environments offers a win-win situation.”

Saturn has used its research to produce a white paper called ‘Beyond the Treadmill: Creating a Gym Culture That Keeps Members Happy and Committed’ which can be found here.

E Radcliffe
Saturn Visual Solutions
+ +44 7855 015137
email us here

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