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30% of Brits claim fitness technology is key fitness driver finds survey from TCS, London Marathon’s Official Technology Partner

LONDON |MUMBAI, 19 April 2017: As the Official Technology Partner for the Virgin Money London Marathon for the second year, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), has launched the results of its second “Digital Fitness Survey”. The survey reveals how digital technology continues to be key in boosting the health and well-being for the general British public.

TCS surveyed over 2,000 Brits to examine the impact digital fitness technologies, such as smartphone applications and wearable fitness trackers, are having on the UK’s health and fitness. This year’s study found that 37 percent of the general British public now use some form fitness / health / wellness technology.

While it is recommended that we walk 10,000 steps a day, almost 5 miles, the average Brit is only running or walking 12.39 miles a week. However the survey found that technology is a key fitness driver with over three quarters (77%) of Brits who use fitness technology saying the amount they walk or run each week has increased since using these devices or apps and a quarter (25%) say it has increased ‘significantly’.

Shankar Narayanan, Country Head, UK & Ireland, TCS, said, “The Virgin Money London Marathon exemplifies the ways in which digital technology is transforming all aspects of society with social media, smartphone applications, fitness trackers and wearables giving a wealth of data. It is fantastic to see that the British public are embracing such technology to not only improve their health and fitness but also their overall well-being like never before. As the Official Technology Partner of the London Marathon, TCS is focused on showcasing how through technology the public can enhance their individual journeys to better health, fitness and wellness”.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director, Virgin Money London Marathon, said, “The incredible development of digital technology over the past decade has transformed every runner’s preparations for the London Marathon. We are working with TCS to develop tools that will engage more runners and fans – whether they are watching on the course or on television at home - with the unique experience of the world’s greatest marathon.”

Key “Digital Fitness” Survey Findings below and supporting infographics here:

Greater focus placed on striving for wellness

  • Nearly a third of Brits (30%) who use fitness / health / wellness technology state that it has increased their desire to change their lifestyle to focus more on wellness / well-being
  • Fitness tech makes users feel more accountable for their overall health / well-being according to a quarter of respondents (25%)
  • 81 percent of full time mums / dads who use fitness / health / wellness technology said having access to data from such devices enables them to improve their well-being
  • Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) Brits said increasing their use of fitness devices has been the biggest positive impact on their well-being in the last 12 months

State of the nation

  • On average, men walk or run 2 more miles than women every week (13.46 compared to 11.38 for women)
  • Teachers average walking or running almost 20 miles every week (19.27 miles)
  • Full time parents walk or run an average of 11.38 miles every week, this is almost 2 miles more than those who are unemployed (8.53 miles)
  • Of the Brits who use wearables or apps to track their steps regularly, men walk more steps with the average, walking 8,870 a day, compared to women who walk 7,857 a day

Additional “Digital Fitness” Survey Findings:

Access to data from from fitness / health / wellness devices enables the public to improve overall well-being

  • 86% of Brits who use fitness/health/wellness technology, said having access to data from fitness / health / wellness devices enables them to improve their well-being

Attitudes to fitness technology spreading to the workplace

  • A third (33%) of Brits who work said they believe that fitness / health / wellness devices should form part of their company’s employee benefit scheme

Futuristic tech Brits would like to use if they could

  • Out of all the age groups surveyed, Brits aged 16-24 and 45-54 would most like to use a sensor that monitors their all-round health and fitness (23% each) if they could
  • More than double the amount of Brits aged 25-34 than those aged 55+  would use a virtual reality headset to simulate different locations/courses (22% vs 9%) if they could
  • A quarter (25%) of office workers would use a sensor that monitors their all-round health and fitness compared to 1 in 7 (14%) builders
  • Nearly a third (31%) of Doctors/Nurses would use a robotic personal trainer to act as a pace-setter/coach if they could compared to 1 in 10 (10%) builders/gardeners  

If you would also like further information in regards to last year’s Digital Fitness Survey, please see the news announcement here and watch our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ili2mThiwbY

About the research

The TCS Digital Fitness Survey is based on a survey of 2,026 general UK consumers. The fieldwork was conducted by Censuswide in April 2017.

Background information:

The 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon takes place on Sunday 23rd April 2017. First established in 1981, and part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Virgin Money London Marathon is considered one of the world’s foremost marathons. A record total of 253,930 people entered the ballot for the 2017 race, with more than 50,000 runners accepted to take part on Sunday 23rd April. TCS is the race’s Official Technology Partner for the second year in a row and will continue this partnership for the 2018 event.

TCS is one of the country’s leading digital employers with offices in more than 30 UK locations, including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough and Liverpool. These sites help to deliver digital projects for more than 150 TCS UK customers in the UK, including Boots, British Airways, BT, National Grid, NEST, Marks & Spencer, Thames Water and Virgin Atlantic.

About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS)

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that delivers real results to global business, ensuring a level of certainty no other firm can match. TCS offers a consulting-led, integrated portfolio of  IT,  BPS,  infrastructure,  engineering and assurance services. This is delivered through its unique Global Network Delivery Model™, recognized as the benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India’s largest industrial conglomerate, TCS has over 378,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 45 countries.The company generated consolidated revenues of US $16.5 billion for year ended March 31, 2016 and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com

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