Sport & Health: How both sectors are working towards common goals

• Alarming figures from the WHO
• Keep moving, take precautions with prevention
• Opportunities for sports retail: understanding health holistically
• Digitalization and data gold in the health sector
• Corporate health as a business driver
• Mental Health: About body, mind and health
• ISPO Munich 2024: The HotSpot for Sport & Health

1.8 billion: That's how many people around the world do too little exercise and do not achieve the recommended level of physical activity, according to WHO data for 2024. Inactivity is the fourth-biggest risk factor for early death and is responsible for 3.2 million deaths every year. The level of physical inactivity varies from region to region. In high-income countries, it is more than twice as high as in low-income countries. In Germany, the figures are already dramatic at a young age: 88 percent of girls and 80 percent of boys aged 11 to 17 do not get enough exercise.

This has long-term and expensive consequences for healthcare systems.

• The risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems or diabetes increases with a lack of activity and increasingly affects younger people too.
• Those who take too little exercise also risk osteoarthritis, back pain or joint problems, as well as mental illnesses such as dementia or depression.
• The WHO estimates that the treatment of diseases caused by a lack of exercise will cost around 27 billion dollars worldwide by 2030.

Prevention and health promotion are an important part of the healthcare sector - and are becoming increasingly important in view of these figures. They can reduce the costs of treating and combating diseases in the long term and at the same time lead to a higher quality of life.

There are natural synergies between the sports and health markets, especially thanks to a common goal: promoting activity and therefore general well-being.

The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) has brought together industry leaders such as Nike, Adidas, ASICS and others. The aim of this joint initiative is to create awareness of the problem, promote cooperation within the industry and gain support from governments.

"This fight cannot be tackled by one institution alone, we must all work together." Tobias Gröber, ISPO Executive Director of Consumer Goods

Networking, exchange, best practices in the sports industry and beyond - this is also what the WFSGI panel at ISPO Munich is all about. Together with representatives from companies, politics, the WHO and the World Trade Forum, the current figures will be discussed and greater awareness of the problem will be created:

Consumers are increasingly taking a holistic view of their health and recognizing that physical activity, nutrition and general well-being are interconnected. As sports retail is already known as a popular place to go for expert advice, there are also various opportunities here at the interface with the health segment.

In addition to the integration of health offers and solutions, the topic of nutrition is also a growth market, as nutritional supplements and nutrition plans have now found their way out of their niche between bodybuilding and marathons and into a broader target group. For example, 63% of sports nutrition consumers are interested in improving their general state of health, while 39% are looking to increase their performance. Thinking about sport, exercise and health more holistically and being a common point of contact as a holistic provider of solutions therefore offers future opportunities in retail.

Tech advancements in fitness, including wearables, apps and virtual training platforms, have made sports/fitness activities more accessible, more motivating, and values and health metrics more tangible. The integration of these technologies into studies and research has also contributed to the use of this data gold not only for self-optimization in sport, but also to a greater extent in the area of personalized health.

Fitness trackers and the like enable a more personalized and data-driven approach to wellbeing, from cycle-based workouts to AI-powered and personalized training plans. Tracking and exercise data can also serve as an early warning system for illnesses such as depression. Exciting insights will be provided on December 4, 2024 at Sports Tech Nation, which will take place parallel to ISPO Munich 2024 at the ICM:

Well-being is also becoming increasingly important in the workplace. As a key benefit for the younger generations, corporate health benefits can be a decisive advantage in the war of talent in times of a shortage of skilled workers. The focus here is not only on increasing productivity, but also on preventing absenteeism - and thus reducing costs. Offers here go beyond traditional health insurance offers and instead focus on health offers as a lifestyle-oriented supplement. These include sports and wellness memberships as well as corporate fitness and in-house courses such as yoga or Pilates.

The topic will also find its stage at ISPO Munich 2024: In the Brandnew Hub, the exhibitors are divided into 6 segments, one of which is Corporate Health. In addition, the Talent & Culture Hub with topics such as employer branding, recruitment and resilience picks up on the topics that currently affect corporate health. There is also a separate stage here, where the topics of career and corporate health are linked, current innovations are presented and holistic solutions in the healthcare sector are discussed.

In order to further raise awareness of the importance of mental health in the workplace and how important the topic is for employees, organizations and society, this year's Mental Health Day on 10 October focused on the topic of "workplace mental health".

Constant availability and high stress levels, shift work or the demanding task of combining career and family or caring for relatives - the reasons are as varied as the danger is real. According to a survey conducted in 2023, one in five people in Germany rate the risk of burnout as high. Added to this is a general feeling of exhaustion due to the mood of crisis and increased workload, which, according to a study by HelloBetter and Ipsos , is becoming increasingly difficult for people. The reason: the feeling of having no control internally or externally or losing it more and more.

The good news is that digital health applications and new solutions offer additional options, such as psychotherapeutic support, communities or apps for building up regular exercise habits, and therefore a low-threshold option for finding help or doing something for oneself in a shorter space of time.

Closing the circle, sport, physical activity and fitness offerings, as well as mindfulness and a conscious approach, play a decisive role when it comes to building mental strength, resilience and self-esteem, as well as reducing stigma and unhealthy behavior patterns. At the same time, there is a need for further attention and discussion, as governments, organizations and companies have at least as much responsibility as individuals.

In line with all these topics, health and sport are growing ever closer together: also at ISPO Munich 2024. The extensive program also includes a series of specialist congresses at this year's event, offering additional input and interfaces.

For example, therapie MÜNCHEN as a trade fair with a congress for therapy and medical rehabilitation and with confirmed exhibitors such as crosscorpo, Zimmer MedizinSysteme, SCHNELL Trainingsgeräte, Buchner & Partner, Schupp & David, SOVDWAER, opta data, BTL Medizintechnik, Stolzenberg & Dynamed, ARTZT, NAGGURA can be visited with the ISPO Munich ticket:

Ready to get involved in the Sport Health hot topic, have your say or get in touch with the health megatrend? Dive deeper into the topic with like-minded people at ISPO Munich, be inspired by the current discussions and get to know the innovations at the interface between sport and health.