January isn’t just when gyms fill up, it’s when fitness ad budgets hit their stride. But with the health club industry projected to grow 8% in 2026, a new report shows AM/FM radio overindexing for the vertical, creating a year-round opportunity for advertisers.
Data from The Media Audit shows that across all adults 18+, 13% of radio listeners reported using a health club in the past year, compared to 11.6% of the general market. The findings come from the research firm’s annual multimedia, retail, and consumer marketing survey, conducted across more than 40 metropolitan markets.
That positions radio alongside podcasts (17.5%) and audio streaming (13.6%) as top-performing audio platforms among health-conscious consumers. Radio exposure beats social media, TV, and the internet. Yet, even as podcasting and streaming rise, AM/FM continues to hold the broadest daily footprint among fitness-minded adults.
Nearly three-quarters of adults who visit a health club at least 12 times per year listen to over-the-air radio on an average day, well above the 63.8% reach among the general population. Health club users average two hours and ten minutes of radio listening each day, as the medium remains part of listeners’ active lifestyles, connecting with them during commutes, workouts, and post-gym downtime.
Generationally, the overlap is strongest among Millennials and Generation X. These two groups account for the majority of both health club membership and heavy radio listening, at 34% and 31% respectively. Even among Gen Z adults, 14% of health club users are also heavy radio listeners, indicating that radio continues to attract younger consumers who prioritize fitness and routine.
These findings build on radio’s growing influence across the health and wellness spectrum, from gym-goers to healthcare consumers.
In October, a Katz Analytics study across eight major US markets found AM/FM radio driving double-digit lifts in brand awareness, familiarity, and trust for an online healthcare brand. Among radio listeners, brand awareness rose 12 points, familiarity climbed seven, and positive perception increased five, which outperformed results from larger television campaigns.
