Exercise is no longer just about losing weight, building muscle or getting fit, with new research revealing that 67 percent of New Zealanders say looking after their mental wellbeing is one of the main reasons they get moving.
As Aotearoa prepares to mark World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October, Exercise New Zealand is highlighting the growing importance of physical activity in supporting mental health, reducing stress and strengthening community connections.
The organisation’s latest consumer research shows mental wellbeing is now the second most common reason New Zealanders exercise, behind overall health.
According to the findings, 78 percent of respondents identified general health as a reason for exercising, while 67 percent pointed to mental wellbeing.
The figures reflect a broader shift in attitudes towards exercise, with more people recognising the benefits of physical activity beyond fitness and appearance.
Exercise New Zealand Chief Executive Richard Beddie says the research demonstrates that gyms, fitness studios and exercise classes are increasingly becoming places where people look after both their physical and mental wellbeing.
For many New Zealanders, exercise provides an opportunity to manage stress, establish positive routines, connect with others and take time away from the pressures of everyday life.
Previous ExerciseNZ research found 64 percent of respondents identified mental health as a reason for being physically active, suggesting mental wellbeing has remained an important motivation over successive surveys.
The latest results also come as more than one million New Zealanders engage with the structured exercise sector, with close to one in three adults accessing organised exercise services.
ExerciseNZ believes those numbers provide an opportunity for Aotearoa to demonstrate how the international fitness industry can better respond to the mental wellbeing needs of its communities.
The organisation says fitness facilities are increasingly being valued not only for their equipment and programmes, but also for the sense of belonging, encouragement and social connection they provide.
For some people, the most important part of attending a gym may be completing a workout.
For others, it may be seeing familiar faces, getting out of the house, establishing a healthy routine or simply having time to focus on themselves.
Beddie says understanding those different motivations is becoming increasingly important for exercise professionals.
However, ExerciseNZ emphasises that fitness instructors and exercise professionals are not mental health clinicians and should not be expected to provide mental health treatment.
Instead, their role is to create welcoming, supportive and inclusive environments where people feel comfortable participating in physical activity.
That includes recognising the importance of community, positive relationships and exercise programmes that meet the needs of people with different abilities, backgrounds and circumstances.
For Māori, the findings also reinforce the value of approaches to wellbeing that recognise the connections between physical health, mental wellbeing, whānau and community.
Kaupapa such as kapa haka, waka ama, mau rākau, hīkoi and other forms of physical activity can provide opportunities for movement, cultural connection and collective participation.
These activities can complement wider approaches to hauora that recognise wellbeing as more than physical fitness alone.
Access remains an important consideration, particularly for whānau facing financial pressures, transport barriers or limited opportunities to participate in organised exercise.
While gyms and fitness programmes can offer valuable support, physical activity does not always require a paid membership.
Walking, cycling, gardening, playing with tamariki and participating in community activities can also provide opportunities to move more regularly.
The research is being highlighted ahead of World Mental Health Day, an international awareness event first observed in 1992 through the World Federation for Mental Health.
The theme for 2026 is Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change, placing emphasis on ensuring people with lived experience of mental health challenges have a meaningful role in shaping the services, policies and environments intended to support them.
ExerciseNZ says that message is particularly relevant to the fitness industry, where understanding why people exercise can help providers create better experiences.
The organisation also points to New Zealand’s system of professional registration for exercise practitioners as an important foundation for maintaining appropriate standards and professional boundaries.
Beddie believes Aotearoa has an opportunity to demonstrate internationally how exercise providers can recognise the close relationship between physical activity and mental wellbeing.
With two-thirds of New Zealanders identifying mental wellbeing as a reason to exercise, the message is clear: getting active is about much more than what happens to the body.
It can also be about feeling connected, managing everyday pressures, developing confidence and creating positive routines.
Physical activity can support mental wellbeing, although it is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment when mental health care is needed.
And as World Mental Health Day approaches, ExerciseNZ is encouraging the industry to recognise that helping people feel better may be just as important as helping them become fitter.
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