Getting healthier is what many people strive for when a new year begins, so it is fitting that the American College of Sports Medicine just released its list of top fitness trends for 2024.
Researchers gathered input from 2,000 clinicians, experts and practitioners across the fitness industry and determined “wearable technology” was the number one trend for the new year.
“What we’re seeing is that people are looking for real-time information and data about their health and fitness,” said A’Naja Newsome, one of the leading researchers on the project.
Wearable technology includes devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and heart rate monitors.
“Increasingly, these devices are becoming more sophisticated, allowing us to track things such as sleep, nutrition and other non-exercise activities,” Newsome said.
Ranked second in the most popular fitness trends for the new year was “worksite health promotion,” which includes work-related programs and perks that increase employee wellness.
“As Americans are returning to the office full-time following the pandemic, they are wanting to maintain the active lifestyle that they may have adopted while they worked from home,” Newsome said.
Programs and perks range from on-site gyms and workout facilities to employee incentives for joining a gym or getting regular blood pressure checks.
“Employers are seeing the benefits,” Newsome said. “We are starting to see fitness being used to reduce symptoms of mental illness and to increase health-related quality of life.”
The number three fitness trend was “fitness programs for older adults.”
Many Baby Boomers are entering retirement and adopting a lifestyle that focuses on fitness.
The number of Americans aged 65 and above rose by 38% between 2010 and 2021, according to the 2021 Profile of Older Americans. About 27% of that population lives independently, and regular physical activity is key to helping them stay healthy.
“As people are aging, they’re wanting to remain more independent,” Newsome said. “Fitness is a major part of that.”
The top 10 fitness trends for 2024, according to ACSM, include:
- Wearable Technology: Fitness trackers, smartwatches, heart rate monitors, GPS tracking devices, etc.
- Worksite health promotion: Work-related programs and perks that increase employee wellness.
- Fitness programs for older adults: Interventions focused on the unique needs of the aging population.
- Reimbursement for qualified exercise professionals: Policy changes that allow exercise professionals to bill insurance more easily.
- Exercise for weight loss: Incorporating weight loss programs such as dieting and culinary interventions alongside an exercise routine.
- Employing certified exercise professionals: Employing certified and fully accredited health and fitness professionals.
- Mobile exercise apps: Smartphone apps that aid in exercise performance or programming.
- Exercise for mental health: Improving mental well-being through physical activity.
- Youth athletic development: Engaging young people in sports and related activities.
- Personal training: Goal setting, fitness assessment and exercise programming with a trainer in one-on-one settings.
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