The Rise and Size of the Fitness Industry in Europe

This book explores the rise, size and shape of the European fitness industry by using harmonised data as well as in-depth analyses of national surveys in fifteen European countries. Following an introduction to the socio-historical and conceptual aspects of fitness, the collection presents the scope of fitness as a business and participatory activity. Furthermore, both policy and governance issues as well as community and supply angles are considered.

Drawing on this unique material, the book will appeal to students and scholars of sport business, sport economics, sport management, and social sport sciences, but also to administrators, policymakers and entrepreneurs in the international and national sport and health community.

Uses statistical data to provide a framework for cross-national comparison Presents an up-to-date portrait of the characteristics of the fitness sector in different European countries and examines the diversity of fitness in Europe Includes case studies by researchers from different European countries

Auteur
Jeroen Scheerder is Professor in Sport Policy and Sport Sociology, and Head of the Policy in Sports and Physical Activity Research Group at KU Leuven, Belgium. He was President of the European Association for Sociology of Sport (EASS), and currently acts as Promotor-coordinator of the Policy Research Centre on Sports on behalf of the Flemish Government.

Hanna Vehmas is Senior Lecturer in Sport Sociology and Sport Management at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Currently, she acts as the Secretary General of the European Association for Sociology of Sport (EASS).

Kobe Helsen is Scientific Researcher within the Policy in Sports and Physical Activity Research Group at KU Leuven, Belgium. His main research interests are in the field of the societal impact of sport events and governance issues in local football clubs and sport federations.

Contenu

1. The Global Health and Fitness Industry at a Glance: Fast, Fit, Flexible, Functional, Funny, Fashionable and Fanatic; Jeroen Scheerder, Hanna Vehmas, and Kobe Helsen. - 2. The Weight of Numbers: Prevalence of Overweight, Sedentary Behaviour and Sport/Fitness Participation from a Comparative Pan-European Perspective; Jeroen Scheerder and Kobe Helsen. - 3. The (R)evolution of the Flemish Fitness Industry; Kobe Helsen, Joris Corthouts, Erik Thibaut and Jeroen Scheerder. - 4. Bulgarian Fitness Industry: Policies, Processes and Providers; Ivan Sandanski and Vassil Girginov. - 5. Current Trends in the Fitness Movement in Cyprus; Nicos Kartakoullis, Christina Loizou, Despina Georgiadou and Mihcalis Terezopoulos. - 6. Fitness in Denmark: A Unique Combination of the Commercial and Non-profit Sectors; Bjarne Ibsen. - 7. Engagement in Fitness Activities in England; Andrew Spiers, Steve Osborne and Monica Li. - 8. Fitness in Finland: Department Stores of Healthy Life Styles; Antti Laine and Hanna Vehmas. - 9. Fitness in France: A Mature Sector Looking for Growing Markets and Segments; Guillaume Routier, Bénédicte Vignal and Guillaume Bodet. - 9. Development of the Fitness Industry in Germany; Sören Dallmeyer, Kirstin Hallmann and Christoph Breuer. - 11. T he Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Private Fitness Sector in Greece; Kostas Alexandris, Theopistos Kenanidis, Panagiota Balaska and Apostolia Ntovoli. - 12. The Shape of the Fitness Industry in Ireland; Ann Bourke .- 13. Fitness in Italy: Body Culture, Well-being and Active Lifestyles; Antonio Borgogni, Simone Digennaro and Giovanna Russo. - 14. The Netherlands: Growing Market, Shifting Segments; Paul Hover and Remco Hoekman. - 15. Norwegian Fitness Industry: From Bodybuilding to a Public Health Partner; Solfrid Bratland-Sanda, Tor Helge Vikøren Myhre and Jan Ove Tangen. - 16. A Growing Sector After the Impact of the Great Recession in Spain; Ramon Llopis-Goig and Jorge Sánchez-Martin. - 17. Current Situation of Fitness Sport in Switzerland; Claudia Klostermann, Markus Lamprecht, Hanspeter Stamm and Siegfried Nagel. - 18. Fitness (Related) Trends Within and between Countries: Towards a Fit (in) Europe?; Kobe Helsen and Jeroen Scheerder. - 19. Fitness: The New Black or Even a Religion?; Hanna Vehmas and Jeroen Scheerder.