The health and fitness sector has grown by 3 per cent in the last 12-month period, ending 31 March 2009, according to the FIA's annual State of the Industry survey.

Complied by market analysts The Leisure Database Company, the survey of 6,000 sites shows that the industry's revenue reached £3.77bn during the year. The amount of new public and private fitness facilities, between 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009 has also increased by 114 and one in eight consumers are now members of a health club or leisure centre. The industry has also benefited from government funding to support its role as a delivery partner for national public health programmes. Activity-led initiatives, that have been developed over the last 12 months, include behavioural modification scheme Fit for the Future (launched in April 2009) for 18-to-24-year-olds and activity programmes go and active at school - all created to improve the physical activity levels and health of the nation.

MoreActive4Life, a sub-brand of the government's Change4Life campaign, is also due to launch in June 2009. Andrée Deane, CEO of the FIA, says: "It has been a tough 12 months for operators. While exercise now enjoys a much higher profile in public health campaigns being implemented by Change4Life and PCTs around the country, our industry is not recession-proof.

What the results do prove, however, is that fitness and exercise are no longer perceived to be luxuries, but an intrinsic part of consumer's personal wellbeing strategies - and therefore not really susceptible to economic forces. David Minton, director of The Leisure Database Company, comments: "The government health messages are being taken seriously by consumers who value their gym memberships perhaps over other leisure spend. The fitness industry has maintained its performance levels and gained new members despite the difficult trading conditions. It's also heartening to see the industry realise sustainable growth without resorting to price cutting: the healthy increase in market value of 3 per cent is evidence of this."