Editor's note: The third China International Import Expo Enterprise Alliance consists of 156 exhibitors, all of which are Fortune 500 companies or industry leading enterprises. They have established seven special committees at the CIIE across different sectors -- public health and epidemic prevention, dairy, industrial digital transformation, auto innovative development, smart supply chain, daily consumer products, and sports.

Nine sessions of activities, such as policy exchange conferences, roundtable talks, and subforums were held by the special committees at the CIIE, during which relevant industrial reports were published and the CIIE will share here to better serve our professional exhibitors and visitors.

The following article is about a report on sports and health of the public in 2020 published by Decathlon, chair of the Sports Industry Special Committee, and online health information sharing platform Dingxiang Doctor.

The sports industry will continue to grow in China as people are more aware about the importance of fitness and health following the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a report released by France-based sports and lifestyle goods retailer Decathlon and online health information sharing platform Dingxiang Doctor.

Decathlon is the chair of the Sports Industry Special Committee of China International Import Expo Enterprise Alliance.

The report estimated that more than 45 percent of China's population will exercise regularly by 2035, while the average sporting area per capita will increase to 2.5 square meters by 2035.

Based on data from Decathlon, the report stated that about 27.2 percent of people are paying more attention to fitness than they did in 2019, while 23.8 percent have picked up more at-home fitness skills and 21 percent are exercising regularly.

The demand for sports equipment in 2020 has been varied. In February and March, the most popular products were trampolines and products that allowed for running at home. After April, when the pandemic in China came under control, the most popular products were tents and riding equipment for adults and kids.

In the first half of 2020, the sales volume of skateboards and bicycles increased by 52 percent and 44 percent respectively as the popularity of using these devices for short journeys grew.

Men spent more time and money on fitness than women last year, indicating that there are business opportunities in female segment to be tapped into, the report added.

Fitness spending for the post-1970 generation ranked the first among all age groups in China in 2019. However, seniors in China are more likely to take part in less expensive fitness programs.

The post-1980 generation spent the least time on fitness last year. A major issue the group faces is maintaining a routine for sports and exercises, the report stated.

Kunming of Yunnan province was ranked first in China in terms of average sports spending per person, followed by Zhengzhou of Henan province and Guiyang of Guizhou province.

The report noted that Chinese consumers are now showing greater interest in sports that require more spending. These sports include mountain cycling, field hockey and snow sports. This was evidenced by how demand for snowboarding goods and services in 2019 grew by 50 percent year-on-year. The nation's supportive policies for ice and snow sports in recent years have been a driving force behind this rise in demand, the report added.

Consumption of personal protective equipment such as sports helmets has also increased by 12 percent year-on-year in 2020, indicating an increasing awareness of sports safety. Again, national policies have contributed to this trend.

The Sports Industry Special Committee consists of 11 members from countries and regions such as France, the United States and Japan. The members include companies such as Decathlon, Nike, Asics, Asian Electronic Sports Federation, Skechers and PwC.

By Tang Zhihao