Dubai Fitness Challenge Inspires Over a Million People, Leaving Active Lifestyle Legacy

The scale of involvement in Dubai Fitness Challenge indicates it was an initiative that truly captured the public imagination. The total number of registered participants – 786,000 – far exceeded the target of 100,000 set ahead of the challenge, which ran from 20 October to 18 November. Furthermore, with surveys showing that almost half of attendees at the challenge’s marquee events were not registered as official participants, it is believed that the real reach of the initiative was over one million, amplifying its impact and further enhancing its legacy.

Geared towards making Dubai the most active city in the world, in turn boosting collective social well-being and happiness, the initiative encouraged participants to commit to a minimum of 30 minutes of daily activity for 30 days. The commitment was aided by a host of free sports events, 1,500 free exercise classes at 85 locations, pop-up gym sessions at over 75 venues across the city, weekend fitness carnivals and other community-driven activities, complete with support from professional trainers and fitness tips from international experts.

One of the hallmarks of the Dubai Fitness Challenge was its inclusiveness and the way in which it touched the lives of a broad spectrum of society. A survey of registered participants found that 44% were from schools, reflecting strong involvement from children, a crucially important figure as getting kids active becomes increasingly challenging in a modern world, while 33% were individuals or from corporations, with 23% from government entities, underlining the support for the challenge from across the public sector. 45% of participants were female, a significantly higher proportion than in the general population of Dubai, while there was also wide representation across the age groups, with 34% over the age of 40. This was a clear indication that the challenge offered healthy lifestyle alternatives for older audiences just as much as it did for children and young families. Participation also spanned across people of determination and those with specific health issues, ensuring the drive for fitness did not exclude any part of society.

Among the most important outcomes has been the transformative effect the challenge has had on behavior when it comes to physical activity. A survey of registered participants conducted before Dubai Fitness Challenge found that 57% of respondents did exercise at least three times a week, putting them in the ‘very active’ category. A corresponding survey conducted after the 30-day challenge found that 71% were ‘very active’, an uplift of 14 percentage points. Meanwhile, the proportion of respondents describing themselves as ‘inactive’ fell from 8% to 2%.

Those who participated in Dubai Fitness Challenge also demonstrated a strong commitment to their goals, with 90% achieving their target of at least an average of 30 daily minutes of activity during DFC. Indeed, almost a third (31%) averaged at least 60 minutes and the dedication to meeting the target was reflected in all the age groups. Of those surveyed, 91% said they would be likely or active advocates of another challenge, while 93% said they would themselves participate.

The impact of DFC has even resulted in a strong behavioral change in non-standard activity, showing people that incremental lifestyle changes can be made. The percentage of people doing a routine daily activity, including walking and standing in excess of one hour, improved from 74% in the pre-DFC period up to 85% during DFC. Similarly, there was a significant increase in the awareness of body mass index, up from 52% to 71%. Among smokers, there was an important behavioral change, with the percentage describing themselves as ‘regular smokers’ falling from 67% to 58%. Familiarity with sports provisions in the emirate also improved, with particularly strong increases in the levels of familiarity of sporting facilities (up 9 percentage points) and sporting events (up 8 percentage points).

Taken alone, these shifts in behaviors and habits were significant; amplified by social media, they resonated strongly with a wider audience, burnishing the challenge’s legacy. Across key social media platforms, DFC content was viewed 12.4 million times, with 2 million views on YouTube alone. The high level of engagement was emblematic of the manner in which momentum and motivation for such an initiative is dependent on society taking ownership and encouraging each other.

Dubai Sports Council was an official Government Endorsee of DFC and helped organize the packed calendar of events and activities across the city. His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice President of Dubai Sports Council, said: “I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for launching Dubai Fitness Challenge, which was undoubtedly one of the highlights of 2017 and has made a valuable contribution to making the city more active. Throughout the challenge, and especially at the events and carnivals across the city, we saw that participation came from all parts of Dubai’s population, regardless of age, gender, and background.

“The initiative has proven how people can dramatically change their lifestyles and habits in a short period of time, bringing regular exercise into their daily routines. Also of note has been the way in which it has helped to raise awareness of all the sports and fitness facilities in Dubai, ensuring its legacy lives on well beyond the 30 days of the challenge itself. We encourage all residents to continue to take advantage of the sports and fitness facilities and public parks across Dubai as they build on their achievements during Dubai Fitness Challenge. As Dubai continues on its journey to becoming the most active city in the world, we will continue to work with partners in the public and private sector to ensure that all residents can meet their ongoing fitness goals.”

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing said: “I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum not only for envisioning the Dubai Fitness Challenge and inspiring the entire city to mobilise for it but also for leading the way and motivating residents through his own participation. When His Highness announced Dubai Fitness Challenge, he set out the aim of spreading a culture of fitness and ensuring physical activity and sports are a part of their people’s daily routines. The success of the Dubai Fitness Challenge has provided overwhelming evidence of the changes in behavior possible after just a few weeks, with participants changing habits and committing themselves to healthier lifestyles.

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