52% of respondents from a Quantix national research on urban population in Romania said they were practising sport on a regular basis.

49% of respondents from the same research considered their weight was above the optimal one.

So it looks like two halves of a story or two halves of an apple. Snow White did not know which was the poisonous half, but we do know that a healthy lifestyle equals: diet, sport and health.

This is Quantix’s third research on the topic (2014, 2015, 2017), but it is my first one. One year ago I would have been totally surprised to be invited at a sport event. I was going to the gym, I was playing tennis with my dad, but I was not doing any sport regularly and disciplined. Fast forward to 2017, I ran a half marathon, I am training for the second one and I am invited to sport related activities. Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think? I will ask Alanis Morissette:)

Fast facts on the research:

• Men & Women, 18-70 years old, urban and proximities
• March 2017
• Qualitative & Quantitative 
• 1.117 respondents 
• last 12 months, at least once

1. Practise (what you preach) - last 12 months, at least once

• 52% are involved in sport activities, with almost fare share between men and women, 1 pp increase versus 2014
• Running is the number one practised sport, with almost 60% of respodents and highest increase versus the last 3-4 years, more than double
• Fitness, aerobic & pilates are on the second place, with approximately 25% but with the highest frequency rate (71% are going at least once per week)
• Cycling and mountain biking go for the third place, both in terms of interest and frequency

Fun fact: almost 50% said they did less sport than one year before, but 45% said they would do more next year. 

2. Watch your favourite sport

• 79% watch sports mainly on TV, but there is a 7 pp decrease versus 2014. This is also a trend for getting information about sport
• Men are watching more sport than women (86% versus 73%)
• Thanks to Simona Halep, tennis is the number 1 sport in terms of watching, followed by football, gymnastics, handball and formula 1

3. Atitudes related to sport

• There is a strong correlation between sport and general population’s health
• Sport is important in kids education - 3,7 average rate with 4 being the maximum
• 77% said that if they had a several weeks sport break, they would not feel good

4. Companies & brands related to sport

• 95% respect the companies which are involved in sport activities
• 79% are attracted by commercials where normal people are practising sports
• 71% are more willing to buy from companies who support the sport activities
• If companies want to be involved in sport, they should primarly be focused in supporting it in schools 
• Second direction, with the highest increase versus 2014 was to support the kids sports clubs

5. Kids & Sport

• 92% consider that kids are not practising sport enough
• benefits for kids practising a sport on a regular basis: 90% health, 79% good physical development, 51% competition spirit

6. Health

• 94% consider that when practising a sport, you should take care of your diet
• 86% consider that meat is important when doing a sport, but the percentage is decreasing
• 35% consider that a vegetarian has a lower performance in sport - the mindset has changed significantly versus 2014, when 55% considered that
• 72% are not using supplements during their sport activities
• 49% consider their weight above the optimal level, but 62% are taking care of what they are eating at the restaurants (the logic tells me that they do not bother while at home:)

Fun fact: 45% consider that when you are practising a sport you loose weight no matter what and when you are eating 

Quantix Marketing Insights is not only about couch researching on sport (which, by the way, they are very actively involved in, with more than 20 studies in the last 5 years). It is about being actively inolved in the sports community, having strong partnerships with important competitions and sport related companies, selling sport equipment, participating in races, organizing sport events on their own and supporting children sport activities.