NEW YORK—In a city where walkers, joggers, and cyclists abound—especially when it’s nice out—a recent report shows the health industry is also thriving.
The number of fitness and sports recreational centers rose to 631 in 2010, an increase of 66 percent since the year 2000, according to the city’s Economic Development Corporation. The number of health and fitness workers also rose 66 percent, while citywide private sector jobs in fitness declined 0.4 percent.
The city’s fitness industry is concentrated in Manhattan, which had 53.1 percent of the city’s fitness and recreational center establishments in 2010, and 79.9 percent of fitness-related employment.
Employment in the health and fitness industry during the decade (2000–2010) rose 129 percent in the Bronx, while the number of fitness centers jumped 179 percent.
In Midtown, Planet Fitness opened a new branch in February and receives “over 1,000 appointments every month,” a sales associate said. The center offers memberships for about $13 a month. New York Sports Club has introduction rates at $30 for 30 days, while Crunch Gym offers a month-to-month membership for $81 per month.
The percentage of New Yorkers who exercised in the past 30 days stayed around 73 percent between 2002 and 2010, with Manhattan (77 percent) and the Bronx (70 percent) the highest and lowest percentages in 2010. College graduates exercise more than nongraduates, with four out of five exercising, according to Economic Development Corporation.
Despite more fitness centers and employees, the obesity rates in the city have also risen over the past decade, which “could be due to a number of factors not analyzed here, including diet and nutrition,” the report said.
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