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Tiskové zprávy MultiSport Index

The Number of Non-sporting Individuals Is Increasing among Czechs, Leading the Czech Republic to Pay an Additional 158 Billion Czech Crowns Annually for Healthcare.

The Number of Non-sporting Individuals Is Increasing among Czechs, Leading the Czech Republic to Pay an Additional 158 Billion Czech Crowns Annually for Healthcare.

The MultiSport Index survey has been conducted by the NMS agency since 2019. Today, MultiSport presented its results to the public for the first time at a joint press conference with experts from the 1st Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at Charles University along with the Czech Chamber of Fitness.

The 10 Most Popular Sports in the Czech Republic

* z Čechu, kteří alespoň občas sportuji


The Number of Non-sporting Individuals is Increasing

Only 53% of Czechs engage in sports at least once a week, which is less than last year. On the contrary, there has been an increase in those who do not work out at all, now accounting for 32%, which is two percentage points more than last year. While there has been a slight increase among young athletes, there has been a significant increase of people over 55 who do not engage in any physical activity not even once a month. This can also be attributed to the different impact of two years of the coronavirus pandemic.

„During the pandemic period, there was a slight increase in people who engage in sports at least occasionally. There has been a particularly significant increase in interest in activities that can be done at home – such as yoga or pilates. This trend has partially persisted for younger people up to 34 years old, so they continue to engage in sports more than before, even after the end of the coronavirus crisis. However, for the older part of the population, it was only a temporary deviation and unfortunately, the sports habits from the pandemic period did not persist for them,“

explains Miroslav Rech, CEO of MultiSport Benefit company, which operates the popular MultiSport Card.

Moreover, the decrease in athletes could exacerbate the current economic situation. Already in 2021, 37% of respondents encountered the increase in prices of sports facilities. Due to high energy prices, nearly all sports facilities from the MultiSport partner network have now or are likely to increase their prices or have already done so. Additionally, Czechs are also affected by high inflation, so they are figuring out where to save.

„The decrease in physical activity in the Czech Republic is a societal problem that the current situation could exacerbate significantly. Physical activity is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle and its lack can lead to a range of health problems. According to surveys, Czechs are also trying to save on food. Unfortunately, in many cases, this means that they will eat less healthy. In combination with the limitation of sports activities, this can lead to an overall deterioration of the health of the Czech population,“

warns nutritional therapist Šárka Knížková from the 1st Faculty of Medicine at Charles University.


We Pay for the Lack of Physical Activity from the State Treasury

The consequences of the decrease in physical activity in the Czech Republic have a very concrete form. The total expenditures on healthcare reached 526 billion Czech crowns in 2020, which is over 9% of the GDP. This amounts to over 49 thousand Czech crowns per citizen annually. Almost 90% of this amount comes from public sources and households themselves pay over 60 billion CZK annually.

Výdaje na zdravotní péči v Česku podle hlavních zdrojů financovaní podle Českého statistického úřadu v miliardách Kč

„If Czechs engaged in more physical activity, it would be possible to reduce healthcare costs by 25 to 30 percent. This would save us about 150 billion Czech crowns. This would save us about 150 billion Czech crowns. Increased physical activity could reduce medication use by up to a third. Increased physical activity could reduce medication use by up to a third. For example, according to a study from 2015, the risk of a heart attack can be reduced by up to 35 percent if we work out for ten minutes every day,“

points out Professor Václav Bunc from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University.

Healthcare costs are also increasing because in the Czech Republic, over the last 20 years, the number of people suffering from obesity has increased by about one fifth. According to Bunce, they are up to 80% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and hypertension. There are approximately one million type 2 diabetics in the Czech Republic.

Taking care of one’s own health, according to the results of MultiSport, is not the main motivation for Czechs to engage in physical activity. The number of people who work out for better fitness or to look better is decreasing. On the other hand, more and more Czechs are engaging in sports to reduce stress or to improve their mental well-being. Most often, their lack of time or motivation is the barrier to physical activity. An overloaded schedule is cited as a barrier by 59% of respondents, while a lack of willpower is mentioned by one percentage point more.

„Support for sports is nowadays extremely important. It is clear that if we save on health and physical activity, we will pay a high price for it. It is clear that if we save on health and physical activity, we will pay a high price for it. Whether for health or just to improve their mood,“

concludes Rech.

What Is the Main Reason Why Czechs Engage in Sports?

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