In an effort to gauge the effectiveness of various policies aimed at promoting sports for all, the Sports Administration (SA) commissioned Shih Hsin University to conduct the “Sports Situation Survey”. The results of the survey for last year (2023) were announced on January 18, 2024. The proportion of Taiwanese people participating in sports reached 82.6%, and the proportion of the population who exercised regularly reached 35.0% for the first time since 2014 (definition of regular exercise: exercising more than 3 times a week; exercising for more than 30 minutes each time; sweating and breathing heavily during exercise). To further promote sports for all and actively promote national well-being, the SA has collaborated with various county and municipal governments in the “iSports Taiwan 2.0 Plan.”. This partnership aims to cultivate a sports environment that reflects local characteristics and gradually realize the goal of “Healthy Body and Cheerful Life through Exercise”.

The survey results of 2023 indicate that, after the pandemic, Taiwanese people have placed significant importance on their health, as reflected in their commitment to exercise. In 2023, there was a 1.0% increase in the number of individuals who exercised regularly, particularly among women. Women who do not engage in regular exercise can enhance their motivation and frequency through exclusive women's exercise programs, while those who already exercise regularly can experience improved self-health and increased life satisfaction. Surveys suggest that wearable device technology and home fitness remain the future trends in sports for the Taiwanese population. Furthermore, core training, personal trainers, and exercise are increasingly valued as effective measures for overall well-being by Taiwanese people.

The survey results are summarized as follow:

A. The increase in the frequency and intensity of exercise, along with a higher proportion of the population being active, has led to a record-high number of people who exercise regularly, showing a 1.0% increase over last year.

(1) After the pandemic, Taiwanese people’s health awareness increased, with 82.6% of the population exercising, and the population doing regular exercise has reached 35.0% for the first time.

The sports population reached 82.6%, an increase of 0.8% compared with the previous year (2022). The number of people who exercise regularly is 35.0%, an increase of 1.0% from the previous year (2022), a record high.

(2) The increase in the frequency and intensity of exercise is the basis for regular exercise to hit a record high last year.

The average number of exercise sessions per week in 2023 was 3.64 times, an increase of 0.02 times from the previous year. The number of those who exercised more than three times per week on average was 51.8%, an increase of 0.4% from the previous year. 48.4% of exercise sessions caused heavy breathing and sweating, an increase from the previous year of 3.7%, bringing the active population to 35.0% last year.

B. Young, middle-aged and older men, middle-aged women, white-collar workers, etc. were the main force in increasing the population doing regular exercise in 2023.

The proportion of the population who exercised regularly in 2023 increased in all age groups except those aged 60-64 compared with the previous year. The increment ranged from 0.1% to 1.8%, with the largest increase among those aged 65-69 (1.8% increase). In 2023, the proportion of the population who exercised regularly in all occupations increased slightly compared with the previous year. Retirees have the highest proportion of the population who exercise regularly, at 60.7%; white-collar workers have the largest increase (2.6% increase) compared with the previous year.

In 2023, the proportion of women aged 65-69 who exercised regularly was the highest, at 60.9%; the proportion of women aged 30-39 who exercised regularly was lower, at 16.4%. Compared with the previous year, the proportion of people aged 40-44, 50-54 and 55-59 who exercise regularly increased by 2.5%, 2.6% and 2.3% respectively. It shows that middle-aged women were the main force in the increase in the proportion of women who exercise regularly.

In 2023, the proportion of men aged 65-69 who exercised regularly was the highest, at 61.2%; the proportion of men aged 40-44 who exercised regularly was lower, at 21.2%. Compared with the previous year, those aged 18-24 had the largest increase (increased by 5.8%); followed by those aged 65-69 (increased by 4.6%), 45-49 years old (increased by 3.0%), and those aged 13-17 (increased by 2.3%) ). It shows that young and middle-aged men are the main driving force in the proportion of men who exercise regularly.

C. The proportion of female exercise population and regular exercise population increased compared with the previous year. For women who do not exercise regularly, women's exclusive exercise classes are the first choice to improve their willingness to exercise.

The proportion of women who exercise in 2023 was 81.7%, an increase of 1.3% from 2022; the proportion of women who exercise regularly was 31.5% in 2023, an increase of 0.7% from 2022, with the highest among those aged 65-69 and the lowest among those aged 30-39. Compared with the previous year, the growth rates for those aged 40-44 and 50-59 both exceeded 2.0%

28.8% of women who do not exercise regularly believe that women-only exercise classes can increase their frequency and willingness to exercise. The main sports activities include walking/trekking, home fitness training, jogging, stretching/Pilates/yoga, badminton, cycling, etc. It is recommended to offer physical fitness series, stretching/Pilates/yoga, badminton, spinning bike and courses.

D. Regular exercise can promote self-health and happiness in life.

The proportions of “self-perceived health” and “perceived happiness” in the lives of individuals who exercise but not regularly are slightly higher than those who do not exercise. However, for those who exercise regularly, both “self-perceived health” and “perceived happiness” in life are consistently at least 10% higher than those who do not exercise or engage in irregular exercise.

E. Wearable device technology and home fitness are sports and fitness trends. "Core training", "personal trainer" and "exercise is good medicine" are increasingly being given importance.

(1) Wearable device technology and home fitness are sports and fitness trends

This survey used items from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM; American College of Sports Medicine) sports and fitness trend survey to ask the opinions of Netizens. The survey results show that Taiwanese people believe that wearable device technology and home fitness are the top two major sports and fitness trends in the future, which is consistent with the previous year, indicating that wearable device technology and home fitness are still the main sports and fitness trends.

(2) "Core training", "personal trainer" and "exercise is good medicine" are increasingly given importance

"Core training" ranked 6th for the first time in survey, receiving a good ranking, and is mainly done by young and regular exercisers. Compared with the previous year, the rankings of "Personal Trainer" and "Exercise is Good Medicine" increased the most, with the former's ranking increasing by six places and the latter two's rankings improving by four places. Looking further at the demographic background, demand for "personal trainers" is mainly from men, the young and those who exercise regularly; those who believe "exercise is good medicine" are mainly female, middle-aged and active people.

The 2023 survey reveals that people have placed a greater emphasis on health after the pandemic, with exercise being one of the key means to attain better health. This shift in mindset has led to an increased number of individuals who now engage in regular exercise. The survey collected data through questionnaires to understand people's exercise habits, providing valuable insights for the Sports Administration (SA) to develop a variety of sports services in the future. Moving forward, we will continue to promote the “iSports Taiwan 2.0 Plan,” working in collaboration with local governments to encourage sports activities at the county and city levels. Our aim is to develop sports programs that reflect local characteristics, integrate sports with health promotion, enhance the quantity and quality of sports professional resources, and create a welcoming sports environment and services. 

Note: This study interviewed individuals aged 13 and above across Taiwan via local phone calls from July to September, 2023. We employed stratified random sampling and obtained 25,517 valid samples, with a maximum sampling error of ±0.6% at a 95% confidence level. We collected a minimum of 385 samples in Lianjiang County, and at least 1,510 samples in major cities, including Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City, and Taoyuan City. The remaining 15 counties and cities contributed at least 1,067 samples. In addition, we conducted an online survey using self-administered questionnaires, targeting users aged 13 and above on FB/IG, resulting in 1,070 valid samples.