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News Release from: CDMS | Subject: Fitness Index
Edited by the Marketingservicestalk Editorial
Team on 27 September 2007
CDMS Fitness Index shows geography of UK
fitness
In order to identify the geography of British fitness, analysts CDMS examined data on the leisure habits of over 80,000 people across the land in 13 large cities across the UK.
The latest study by analysts CDMS reveals that Mancunians are the fittest city dwellers, as Manchester tops the table for the highest proportion of fitness fans in the UK, beating Bristol, Birmingham, London, Norwich, Nottingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cardiff In order to eliminate any bias towards the pursuits of the wealthy, factors were chosen that are available to every pocket
These included hiking, sailing, cycling, camping and keep fit.
The results showed a clear bias towards English Northern cities.
The top five in the CDMS Fitness Index comprise (in order) Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, Sheffield and Newcastle.
In contrast, both main Scottish cities score lowest on the Fitness Index and are only marginally better than Londoners at keeping fit.
Surprisingly, fashions-conscious London scores low for keep fit, an activity which does not require the outdoor facilities but which is perhaps indicative of the high cost of joining one of the plethora of gyms or fitness centres that have sprung up and reflects the busy lifestyles of the capital's inhabitants.
The Fitness Index provides an initial wake-up call for the potential health and fitness problems being stored up in the nation's capital city as it continues to grow and, inevitably, suck in labour into an ever more crowded and time-poor environment.
Evidence from the report provides fuel for the argument that increasing government efforts should go into attracting people to regional capitals where their fitness and quality of life are likely to be better than in London.
Ian Hubbard of CDMS commented: "The North/South fitness divide highlights a real split between the time-poor residents of the capital and the enviably time-rich lifestyles of those further up the Fitness Index.
"The stark contrast in results provides a valuable insight into the fitness habits of the UK population.
"These findings are important for any service business looking at understanding the lifestyle habits of the UK population, not to mention specialist outdoor pursuit equipment retailers, commercial gyms and fitness centres.
"Furthermore, behavioural information of this kind can prove invaluable for the planning of public sector facilities.
"Health programmes aiming to help the nation to address fitness issues - whether commercial or run by the state - also require the insights from such analytical exercises in order to identify where resources will be best spent".
CDMS analysed the leisure habits of over 80,000 people in 13 cities around the UK, using data from EuroDirect's databases, during June 2007.
The concentration of enthusiasts for each activity in each city was calculated as a percentage of the total population.
Each activity was then expressed as an index score, and the average of all activity scores used to represent the overall level of 'fitness' for each city.
CDMS provides intelligent marketing solutions by turning clients' data into an asset, and providing the tools and expertise to utilise this to increase the value of their communications.
From data cleansing, enhancement and analysis to hosted campaign management, billing and statementing, to multichannel execution, CDMS provides the whole range of direct marketing services to ensure maximum return on investment.
The integration of cutting-edge software, reference data, high quality services, delivery options and expertise deliver purpose built marketing services solutions.
With over 45 years of experience in the direct marketing industry, CDMS have built long-term partnerships with many blue-chip financial services and retail organisations, founded on helping them to deliver profitable marketing strategies.
CDMS have been noticeably successfully in the government, leisure and travel industries.
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