Chart Our Future City of Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Master Plan | Page 96

National Trends
Derived from the statistically valid surveys facilitated by the Sports and Fitness Industry
Association with the Physical Activity Council and The Outdoor Foundation, the following
data will help inform the planning team’s recommendations.
The Physical Activity Council (PAC) is a partnership of
six major trade organizations in U.S. sports, fitness, and
leisure activities. These organizations are the Sports &
Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the National Golf
Foundation (NGF), Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), the
International Health, Racquet, and Sports Club Association
(IHRSA), the Tennis Industry Association (TIA), the United
States Tennis Association (USTA), and Snowsports
Industries America (SIA).
The PAC produces an annual Sport, Fitness & Recreational
Activities Topline Participation Report providing
information on participation, inactivity, spending,
aspirational participation, and projections. The 2017
report compiled and analyzed 24,134 online responses.
These surveys were then weighted against the total
national population of 296,251,344 ages 6 and older
from the data collected in 2016. The following variables
were used: gender, age, income, household size, region,
population density, and panel join date. Other research
incorporated in this chapter references the Outdoor
Recreation Participation Topline Report, created by the
Outdoor Foundation, in association with the Outdoor
Industry Association. This annual report tracks American
outdoor recreation trends with a focus on youth, diversity,
and the future of the outdoors.
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Sports and Fitness Participation
Leisure activity has fluctuated over the past six years
with 2016 showing an overall increase in total activity
but a decrease in the number or both active and
casual participants. The majority of Americans prefer
participating in fitness sports followed by outdoor sports,
individual sports, team sports, water sports, racquet
sports, and winter sports. Among these categories,
participation rates in fitness, outdoor, racquet, team and
winter sports have increased over the past year. Individual
and water sport participation decreased in 2016.
Activity participation is measured by core participation
and growth. Core participants are defined as those who
participate in a sport or activity on a regular basis. Based
on core participation, the top ten activities in 2016
defined by the number of participants, are:
• Walking for Fitness (50+ times/year): 73.4M
• Hiking (1+ times/year): 42.1M
• Free Weights (Dumbells/Hand Weights) (50+ times/
year): 33.3M
• Treadmill (50+ times/year): 28.4M
• Camping within 1/4 mile of vehicle/home (1+ times/
year): 26.5M
• Running/Jogging (50+ times/year): 25.6M
• Stretching/flexibility training/warm up/cool down/
mobility (50+ times/year): 24.0M
• Weight/Resistance Machines (50+ times/year): 21.4M
CITY OF LAKE FOREST PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN
CHAPTER 4