Mens sana in corpore sano. Sport as medicine for the mind: it is the well being the first spring that makes Italians move, especially the younger ones, with 64% of people (68% if we consider those under 25) who they practice sports to feel mentally well. This is highlighted by the “Sports & Consumption” study by the Eumetra Institute of Social Research and Marketing which provides a snapshot of the last three months of the sporting habits of Italians (those who practice sports at least once a week).
If until recently the classic soccer match with friends was, at least for men, the main opportunity for exercise, today the most practiced disciplines in our country are in fact yoga and pilates (once a week for 12% of the sample), activities that focus on the individual’s psychophysical well-being and that even surpass swimming.
FOUR DIFFERENT PROFILES
But that of athletes is not a homogeneous universe: the Eumetra study in fact highlights the presence of four different identikits of people, with well-defined sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. 41% of athletes can be considered “fanatic”: these are predominantly men, in their 40s, who live in urban contexts, practice different sports, several times a week, often sacrificing their lunch break. Particularly attentive to nutrition, they focus on the competitive aspect of sport and improving performance. 17%, mainly young people under 25, consider it sport synonymous with prowess. This group prefers individual disciplines and practices activities driven by passion and the desire to improve. 23% fall into the “repairer” or, better, restorative, in fact in the vast majority of cases it concerns women who practice physical activity for weight and health issues. Not particularly satisfied with their appearance, they also consider sport as a moment of leisure and an opportunity to dedicate time to themselves. Finally, 20% of people are driven by the simple need to move: this segment is mainly made up of mature people, over 55, still active, who dedicate themselves to sporting activities to prevent the ailments of agebut also to socialize and share moments of leisure.
EUMETRA, SPORT = WELL-BEING
“In an increasingly complex, fast and chaotic world – explains Matteo Lucchi, CEO of Eumetra – physical activity becomes a refuge, an oasis of personal well-being to reconnect with one’s needs. A trend also confirmed by the types of activities practiced”.
