Ireland ranks #2 for the “best quality of life” on Earth. And, 83% of Irish people rate their health as either “good” or “very good” — 14% higher than the rest of Europe.
But are Irish people really fitter than the rest of us?
Check out these 10+ statistics about fitness and physical activity in Ireland.
Table of Contents
Less Than Half of Ireland’s Population Are Physically Active
- In 2019, nearly half (46%) of Ireland’s adult population met the nation’s physical activity guidelines — 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
- More than two-thirds of Irish adults aged 50 and up are either moderately (33%) or highly (34%) active.
- The least active demographic in Ireland were 15–24-year-old women, who averaged 6.7 hours of sitting per day.
- Six in ten boys and eight in ten girls in Ireland don’t exercise enough.
Why These Rates Are So Low
The Irish government’s “Get Ireland Active!” campaign is similar to the CDC’s — at least 30 minutes of “moderate” aerobic exercise five days per week for a total of 150 weekly minutes.
Believe it or not, 53.3% of Americans meet this standard. However, the CDC also recommends two strength sessions per week, which drops the rate of “active” Americans to a slim 23.2%.
So why are the Irish people so reluctant to exercise?
Hint: it’s not COVID-19.
In fact, long before the pandemic leveled Ireland’s fitness industry indefinitely:
- Ireland ranked #7 as the least active country in 2012.
- 27.5% of Irish adults were inactive in 2013.
- These physical activity levels had actually doubled between 2009 and 2012 due to the economic recession.
A poll of older Irish adults discovered that injuries or medical conditions are the most common excuse (43%), with a lack of time (36%) and no interest (25%) coming in second and third.
For those who do exercise in Ireland, “staying healthy” (82%) and mental health benefits (64%) were the top inspirations.
Are the Irish Unhealthy?
The Irish sure don’t think so! (Even compared with very active countries like New Zealand)
While eight in ten Irish adults rate their health as “good” or “very good,” the nation’s health trends bring along a wave of doubt.
The Irish Diet
A slim 5% of the Irish diet consists of fruits, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables.
But even more concerning is the fact that 70% of the traditional diet in Ireland is desserts, red meat, dairy products, and cereals — which are high in fats, sugars, cholesterol, and sodium.
The Obesity Rate
Ireland once ranked #7 on the list of most obese nations in the European Union (2014). By 2021, a quarter of Irish adults were obese, and Ireland stole the #2 spot on the podium.
Alcohol Consumption
While the “drunken Irish” stereotype isn’t true, and higher taxes on alcohol are curbing how many Irish adults drink, alcohol consumption in Ireland is still abnormally high.
In 2019, the average 15+-year-old drank the equivalent of 436 pints of beer in a year, and 75% of residents drank.
Chronic Health Conditions
Nearly half of Irish adults aged 50 and up have one chronic health condition. This already-high rate soars to a startling 65% by age 65 in those with more than one chronic condition.
Average Life Expectancy
Despite these health concerns and trends, Ireland’s life expectancy has actually increased substantially since the early 2000s.
In 2000, the average Irish resident lived to be 78 years old. By 2020, the average life expectancy reached 82.
How Are People Getting Physical Activity?
- More than half of the million Irish — or 10.4% of the population — have gym memberships.
- Ireland’s gym membership rates are about half that of the rest of Europe.
- In Ireland, the ‘running’ trend doubled in popularity between 2019 and 2020, with the 25–34 age group reporting the highest rates (29%).
Most Popular Gyms In Ireland
Eighty percent of fitness clubs in Ireland are privately owned. And, it wasn’t until recently that well-known gym chains began opening clubs across the Emerald Isle.
A few of the most popular gyms in Ireland are:
FLYEfit
The first FLYEfit gyms opened in Ireland in 2011, and the fitness club franchise plans to double its Irish clubs to 35.
The no-contract memberships start at €29/month and include 24/7 access to the facility and free classes.
Ben Dunne Gyms
Ben Dunne Gyms is a “no-frills” Irish gym chain launched in 1997, now boasting more than 40,000 members.
This back-to-basics gym includes traditional gym equipment, and membership fees start at €25/month (no contract required).
Anytime Fitness
Anytime Fitness is actually a Minnesota-based gym chain that’s since expanded to 4,500 locations worldwide, including a few in Ireland.
This 24/7 club is more expensive, though it also includes access to “AF Connect Online” — Anytime Fitness’s exclusive online workout hub.
Explaining the Low Gym Membership Rates
In 2016, Ireland had 4.755 million residents and 710 fitness clubs. That’s about one gym for every 6,697 people in Ireland, though each club averaged just 700 active members.
Ireland’s gym memberships were actually on a gradual upward swing in the pre-COVID era, climbing 3% between 2015 and 2016. (These low rates weren’t a result of Irish lockdowns.)
The biggest culprit is cost. The typical gym membership in Ireland costs €45 per month — or $51.31 — which is among the most expensive in all of Europe.
It’s also five times more expensive than U.S.-based budget gyms like Planet Fitness. These rates appear too costly even for the New Year’s Resolutions crowd.
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People Are Exercising More During the Pandemic
- By May 2020, nearly half of the Irish adults were training more than they did during the pre-COVID era.
- Fifty-four percent of adults in Ireland were meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines just two months into the pandemic.
- By the end of 2020, eight in ten Irish adults trained regularly each week.
The Irish Set a Pandemic Record (A Good One)
Setting records during a global pandemic is rarely a good thing. However, Ireland pulled through with one of the most impressive and unexpected fitness-related feats of all.
More Irish people increased their physical activity during lockdown than ten other nations.
In fact, 36% of Irish adults trained more, 25% continued their previous training habits, and 33% exercised less. Just one in ten confessed to doing no physical activity during the pandemic.
While one-third of Irish adults didn’t train as often as they used to, there’s a silver lining: 89% of people who’ve quit a sport or activity due to COVID-19 plan to make a comeback.
Why Did Exercise Become Popular During the Pandemic?
The Irish government forced nationwide gym closures early in the pandemic. Yet, even without access to a local fitness club, more Irish people trained — and they exercised more often.
The likely explanation is how Ireland attempted to control the spread of COVID-19.
Safety measures included requirements to stay within three miles of home, shutting down non-essential businesses, and implementing road checkpoints to limit long-distance travel.
By August 2020, Ireland’s unemployment rate also surged to an unprecedented 17.1%.
Exercise became a coping mechanism and often a cure to chronic boredom, with the Irish being essentially confined to their own homes for months.
The Pandemic Is Changing How People Exercise
- Gym closures and lockdowns maintained swimming’s popularity 19%, now tying personal fitness’s popularity as the third and fourth most popular exercise in Ireland.
- Over 60% of Irish people tried online fitness classes during the lockdown, while 30% of them plan to continue this fitness habit post-COVID.
How the Pandemic Flipped Fitness On Its Head In Ireland
Two-thirds of Irish adults trained about the same amount or more than before the pandemic struck Ireland. But how did the Irish people adapt to long-term gym closures?
The most popular types of exercise in Northern Ireland in 2020 were:
- Walking (55%)
- Swimming (22%)
- Aerobics, yoga, & dance (17%)
- Jogging & running (15%)
- Resistance training (11%) (tie)
- Biking (11%) (tie)
- Soccer (10%)
In all of Ireland, the leading exercise types were walking (62%), cycling (21%), swimming (19%), personal fitness (19%), running (16%), and golf (13%).
Recreational Walking Become More Popular
During the pandemic, one of the biggest “breakout” exercise types was recreational walking (i.e., any walking done for exercise or leisure and not to get from one place to the next).
The use of walking trails in Ireland surged 5% between January 2019 and December 2020, particularly for trails less than 2km long in urban areas.
In Dublin, where walking was already trendy pre-COVID, 75–80% of adults walked recreationally — up 20%.
Walking was most popular amongst middle-class adults (+20%) and those 45 and older.
FAQ
How Big Is The Fitness Industry in Ireland?
Ireland’s gym and fitness industry was expected to top €117.7 million in revenue by 2021.
However, given the year-long gym closures triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, fitness industry revenue in Ireland actually dipped by 43.1% in 2020.
Conclusion
Although exercise rates in Ireland will ultimately plateau as the nation lifts lockdowns, the coronavirus pandemic did introduce many in the Emerald Isle to the joys of exercise.
It’s not a permanent fix to Ireland’s ongoing health woes. But even if a quarter of them continue training once life returns to “normal,” it’s a good sign for the future of Ireland’s people.
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