Key insights:

  • Fitness-focused adults are more receptive to social ads (30% vs. 22% of all GB adults).
  • Daily Instagram (46%) and YouTube (44%) usage is significantly higher than the national average.
  • They are far more likely to watch long-form video (50% vs. 35%) and video podcasts (30% vs. 16%).
  • Health, fitness and dieting content stand out, followed by nearly half of this group (49%), more than double the national share.

Weight management is often talked about as an aspiration. But for a sizeable group of Brits, it’s an active, structured part of daily life. YouGov Profiles data points to a core audience of adults who work out at least twice a week, spend a minimum of 30 minutes per session, and agree that they are usually trying to lose weight. In this piece, we look at how brands can reach this audience.

Demographically, this audience skews male (61% vs. 39% female). Adults aged 40-54 form the largest share (34%), followed by those aged 25-39 (31%). Younger adults aged 18-24 account for 15%, while one in five (20%) are aged 55 or over. This group leans towards the middle and upper end of income: 45% are middle income, and 30% are higher income (vs. 11% lower income), suggesting meaningful spending power alongside motivation.

More receptive to social advertising

Fitness-focused adults are more open to advertising on social platforms. Three in ten fitness-focused adults (30%) say social network ads catch their attention, compared with 22% of nat rep. Their daily platform usage helps explain why. Compared with the general population, fitness-focused adults are more likely to be daily users of Instagram (46% vs. 38%), YouTube (44% vs. 32%), and X (27% vs. 15%). TikTok usage is slightly lower than average (16% vs. 19%).

Short-form hooks but long-form keeps them engaged

Like most people online, this group consumes plenty of short-form videos. Nearly eight in ten (79%) watch short videos or reels, well above the national average (64%). But where they differ is in their willingness to go deeper.

Half of fitness-focused adults (50%) say they watch long-form online videos, compared with 35% of the general public. Video podcasts also play a much bigger role (30% vs. 16%), as do livestreams (24% vs. 14%).

Fitness content competes with entertainment, not replaces it

Health is clearly central to this group’s interests, but it doesn’t exist in isolation. Health, fitness and dieting content is followed by 49% of this audience, more than double the share among all British adults (23%), making it one of the strongest differentiators. At the same time, entertainment still matters. Comedy leads (49%), followed by travel (40%), TV and movies (39%), and music (38%). The picture that emerges is of consumers who expect fitness content to sit comfortably alongside the rest of their feeds.

What this means for fitness brands

This is an audience that is active, attentive, and reachable. They spend time on social platforms where fitness brands already compete, are more likely to notice social advertising, and are willing to engage with longer, more substantive video content. But they also expect that content to feel relevant, engaging, and human, not purely instructional.

Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between January 2025 and January 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in Great Britain and weighted by age, gender, region, education, and social grade.

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