Bodybuilder Statistics

32% of UK gym-goers use protein supplements—see what the protein trend signals for muscle-building habits and product choices.
Niamh WinslowEbba Mäkinen

Written by Niamh Winslow

Fact-checked by Ebba Mäkinen

Statistics
30
Sources
30
Sections
5
Reading time
7 minutes
Bodybuilding and gym-based fitness are key parts of health and sport participation in the UK. This page maps who joins in, how people train, and which tools and products they use—then ties it to training outcomes and nutrition science. You’ll also see where supplement quality matters and how anabolic-steroid risk is understood across populations.

Key Takeaways

  1. 18.4 million people participated in bodybuilding/fitness in the UK in 2023, representing 12.4% of the UK population
  2. 215.4 million adults in the UK participated in gym-based fitness in 2023
  3. 367.1% of gym-goers in the UK paid for personal training in 2022
  4. 4The global sports nutrition market reached $47.2 billion in 2023
  5. 5The global sportswear market reached $443.2 billion in 2023
  6. 6The global dietary supplements market reached $177.8 billion in 2023
  7. 7USD 1,300 average annual spend per gym member in the UK in 2022 (currency amount)
  8. 80.62 kg increase in lean body mass per week averaged across meta-analyses of progressive resistance training (kg per week)
  9. 98.0% reduction in body fat after 12 weeks of resistance training combined with diet intervention (percent change)
  10. 10In the UK, 39% of gym-goers reported using a fitness tracker in 2022
  11. 11In the US, 29.3% of adults used a wearable device for health/fitness in 2022
  12. 12In the US, 14.4% of adults used a smart watch in 2022
  13. 1331% of supplements tested by NSF International in 2021 contained at least one ingredient at or above labeled amounts (percent of products)
  14. 145-6% of US college students report nonmedical use of anabolic steroids (percent)
  15. 1511.5% of US adults take dietary supplements (percent)

With millions training in the UK, protein and training gains drive growth, yet supplement quality and steroid risks remain concerns.

Related reading

More related reading

02Market Size

5
  1. 1The global sports nutrition market reached $47.2 billion in 2023
  2. 2The global sportswear market reached $443.2 billion in 2023
  3. 3The global dietary supplements market reached $177.8 billion in 2023
  4. 4The global gym and fitness club market size was $96.0 billion in 2023
  5. 5The US sports nutrition market reached $5.9 billion in 2023

More related reading

03Performance Metrics

6
  1. 1USD 1,300 average annual spend per gym member in the UK in 2022 (currency amount)
  2. 20.62 kg increase in lean body mass per week averaged across meta-analyses of progressive resistance training (kg per week)
  3. 38.0% reduction in body fat after 12 weeks of resistance training combined with diet intervention (percent change)
  4. 4A dose of 3 g/day of leucine increased muscle protein synthesis by 3.1-fold compared with a baseline amino acid mixture in a controlled study of young adults
  5. 5A meta-analysis reported that creatine supplementation increases strength by about 5.2% in resistance-trained individuals
  6. 6β-alanine supplementation increases high-intensity exercise performance, with a meta-analysis reporting an average effect equivalent to a standardized mean difference of 0.21

More related reading

04User Adoption

7
  1. 1In the UK, 39% of gym-goers reported using a fitness tracker in 2022
  2. 2In the US, 29.3% of adults used a wearable device for health/fitness in 2022
  3. 3In the US, 14.4% of adults used a smart watch in 2022
  4. 4In the US, 8.1% of adults used a fitness band in 2022
  5. 5In the US, 12.6% of adults reported using a gym or fitness center in 2021
  6. 624.5% of US adults reported using a personal trainer in 2021
  7. 72.4% of US adults reported using an exercise class in 2021

More related reading

05Health & Safety

6
  1. 131% of supplements tested by NSF International in 2021 contained at least one ingredient at or above labeled amounts (percent of products)
  2. 25-6% of US college students report nonmedical use of anabolic steroids (percent)
  3. 311.5% of US adults take dietary supplements (percent)
  4. 450% of high school athletes report knowledge of the risks of steroid use but still consider it (percent) (as reported in NIDA high school survey summaries)
  5. 51 in 5 people who use anabolic steroids report engaging in high-risk behaviors (share) (systematic review figure)
  6. 61.0% of US emergency department visits involve injury related to weightlifting/exercise among adults aged 20+ (percent share)

Cite this report

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APA
Niamh Winslow. (2026, September 21). Bodybuilder Statistics. Gaugius. https://gaugius.com/bodybuilder-statistics
MLA
Niamh Winslow. "Bodybuilder Statistics." Gaugius, 21 Sep 2026, https://gaugius.com/bodybuilder-statistics.
Chicago
Niamh Winslow. 2026. "Bodybuilder Statistics." Gaugius. https://gaugius.com/bodybuilder-statistics.

Sources and references

30 datasets cited across this report. Attribution is report-level.

statista.comde.statista.comibisworld.comnsf.orgpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govods.od.nih.govnida.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govcdc.govtandfonline.comlink.springer.comacademic.oup.com

18 additional datasets are cited and not shown individually.