Fitness as a Lifestyle: Peculiarities of Its Development in Ukraine (through the example of Megacities)

Abstract

Fitness as a social phenomenon is considered in the paper. Trends of its development in the world and in Ukraine (on the example of megapolis) are studied. Social role of fitness and its relationship with the healthy lifestyle are analyzed. It is emphasized that fitness is not only a kind of sport, but first of all a life style, a style of consumption and an industry (the direction of the sports industry). Social characteristics of people included in the fitness movement, as well as practical aspects of fitness development in Ukraine are presented. It is shown that, despite the positive trend, in modern Ukraine the way of life in the «style of fitness» is not widespread, and the «fitness style» as a special style of life is primarily associated with the high social status groups and is first of all aimed not at the healthy lifestyle, but at the achievement of «ideal» physical parameters of the body.