Mapping the fittest city in the UK

The UK is becoming home to more and more fitness fanatics, with Leisure DB’s 2017 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report revealing that the nation now has more than 9.7 million fitness members and the penetration rate has reached an all-time high of 14.9%.

Despite these positive statistics though, the University of Birmingham has found that obesity rates in the UK are the highest in Europe — over 20% of the population is now considered obese.

Bearing these points in mind, award-winning mountain bikes stockist Leisure Lakes Bikes has looked at the fitness cultures and environments of the ten biggest cities across the UK (using data from CityMayors) and also highlighted the obesity rates for each location covered (through information gathered by online pharmacy allcures.com):

London

Key stats:

Population — 7,074,265

Adult obesity rate — 20% (based on an average of the obesity rates for all London boroughs)

Gyms:

In London, you can find 41 Pure Gym’s and 9 Bannatyne’s health clubs*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 141,485 people to each location.

Swimming:

In London, you can find 17 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of London, you can find 107 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of London, you can find 117 cycling clubs.

Birmingham

Key stats:

Population — 1,020,589

Adult obesity rate — 27%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Birmingham city centre, you can find 9 Pure Gym’s and 4 Bannatyne’s health clubs*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 78,507 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Birmingham, you can find 12 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Birmingham, you can find 15 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Birmingham, you can find 32 cycling clubs.

Leeds

Key stats:

Population — 726,939

Adult obesity rate — 22%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Leeds city centre, you can find 8 Pure Gym’s and 1 Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 80,771 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Leeds, you can find 2 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Leeds, you can find 28 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Leeds, you can find 33 cycling clubs.

Glasgow

Key stats:

Population — 616,430

Adult obesity rate — 24%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Glasgow city centre, you can find 9 Pure Gym’s and 1 Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 61,643 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Glasgow, you can find 3 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Glasgow, you can find 28 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Glasgow, you can find 37 cycling clubs.

Sheffield

Key stats:

Population — 530,375

Adult obesity rate — 25%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Sheffield city centre, you can find 3 Pure Gym’s and 1 Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 132,594 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Sheffield, you can find 2 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Sheffield, you can find 16 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Sheffield, you can find 31 cycling clubs.

Bradford

Key stats:

Population — 483,422

Adult obesity rate — 28%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Bradford city centre, you can find 2 Pure Gym’s but not a single Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 241,711 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Bradford, you can find 3 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Bradford, you can find 17 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Bradford, you can find 42 cycling clubs.

Liverpool

Key stats:

Population — 467,995

Adult obesity rate — 26%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Liverpool city centre, you can find 4 Pure Gym’s but not a single Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 116,999 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Liverpool, you can find 4 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Liverpool, you can find 6 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Liverpool, you can find 15 cycling clubs.

Edinburgh

Key stats:

Population — 448,850

Adult obesity rate — 22%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Edinburgh city centre, you can find 6 Pure Gym’s and 2 Bannatyne’s health clubs*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 56,107 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Edinburgh, you can find 9 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Edinburgh, you can find 14 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Edinburgh, you can find 16 cycling clubs.

Manchester

Key stats:

Population — 430,818

Adult obesity rate — 23%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Manchester city centre, you can find 11 Pure Gym’s and 3 Bannatyne’s health clubs*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 30,773 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Manchester, you can find 9 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Manchester, you can find 7 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Manchester, you can find 52 cycling clubs.

Bristol

Key stats:

Population — 399,633

Adult obesity rate — 21%

Gyms:

Within 10 miles of Bristol city centre, you can find 3 Pure Gym’s and 1 Bannatyne’s health club*. If the entire population was to sign up to one of these establishments, the average spread would be 99,908 people to each location.

Swimming:

In Bristol, you can find 6 swimming clubs.

Athletics & running:

In a 10-mile range of Bristol, you can find 5 athletics clubs.

Cycling:

Within 15 kilometres of Bristol, you can find 22 cycling clubs.

*Pure Gym has been picked for this study due to being the UK’s leading operator in both the private and public sectors by number of clubs and members according to Leisure DB’s 2017 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report, while Bannatyne’s health clubs was selected due to being the UK’s largest independently owned health club operator.