The chart illustrates the percentage of European people from four different age groups who visited the gym once a month or more between 1990 and 2010.
Overall, gym attendance increased in all age categories, with younger individuals showing significantly higher participation rates compared to older groups. The 18-24 age group displayed the most substantial growth and the highest attendance overall.
In 1990, the proportion of gym-goers in the youngest age group, 18-24, was about 7%. This figure rose steadily throughout the period, reaching a peak of nearly 60% by 2006, before slightly declining and stabilizing at 55% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of 25-34-year-olds attending the gym once a month or more rose from approximately 8% in 1990 to 50% in 2010. However, despite leading in the early years, this group was overtaken by the 18-24 age group in 1998 and remained the second-highest age bracket for gym attendance thereafter.
In contrast, the attendance rates of older age groups grew at a slower pace. Both the 35-44 and 45+ age categories began at just under 5% in 1990. By the end of the period, the 35-44 age group reached nearly 40%, while the 45+ group saw the smallest increase, peaking at only 22% in 2010. Despite the gradual upward trend in these age groups, their overall attendance remained significantly lower than that of the younger generations.