As part of its recent Made to Move campaign, digital lifestyle website Living360 commissioned a survey to uncover the barriers faced by women when it comes to sports and exercise.   

Created to raise awareness of women’s involvement in sports, while empowering more to pursue its health benefits, Living360’s Made to Move campaign focuses on three key barriers:  

• Training  
• Nutrition 
• Menstruation  

The campaign, which launched in July 2025, presents deep dives into each topic through a series of online features. These are complemented by interviews with leading women in the sport, including Olympic medallist Lizzie Deignan, professional sailor Hattie Rogers and former player for the Lionesses, Fara Williams.  

The campaign opened with an exposé on how men were mainly considered in research for the effects of nutrition on sporting performance, including insight from registered nutritionist Dr Hazel Wallace on how to fuel properly as a woman for high-intensity movement. 

Following a series of articles focused on training advice, how-to guides and top tip for exercising around your cycle, Living360 launched its Made to Move survey to uncover the issues women face today.  

Key findings: 

• Only 11.8% of women are a part of a local sports team or club. 
• Over half of women who exercise (52.7%) have not received proper nutritional guidance. 
• 33.1% of women are embarrassed to begin a sport as an adult.  
• Two thirds of women (78.3%) are not sure how best to train during the different stages of their cycle.  
• 47% of women said that menstruation has prevented them from exercising at some point.  

Despite growing female interest and involvement in fitness and sport, the survey found that only 11.8% of women are a part of a local sports club or team, with 33.1% of women feeling embarrassed to begin a sport as an adult.  

When asked about barriers to entry, over half of respondents (52.7%) said that they were concerned about the cost of joining a women-only sports team or club, while 32% of women are worried that they wouldn’t be good at any sport.  

And despite 84.4% of respondents claiming that they exercise regularly, only 21.7% feel confident that they know how and when to train during the different stages of their cycle. This lack of education extends further, as only 22.4% of respondents have received proper guidance on nutrition.  

The findings, from a survey of over 700 women, highlight an urgent need for better education around women’s menstrual cycle and nutritional advice. Of those that exercise, 46.7% said that their period has prevented them from engaging in fitness and sports and 31% fear leaking on their clothing while exercising. Despite this, 79.6% of women have never used a period-proof product.  

The insights demonstrate an urgent need to spread awareness of how women can tailor sports and exercise to their bodies – from nutritional advice to hormonal education – as well as better understanding of the products, local clubs and communities available to support women and encourage participation in sports and exercise.  

Living360 has worked to address these issues throughout its campaign, from highlighting how to train for every stage of a cycle to interviewing an Olympian to find out their top tips to swimming during a period.  

Anna Evdokimou, acting editor of Living360, said: “The Made to Move survey results highlight a clear need for better education around the menstrual cycle, as well as a wider gap in accessibility when it comes to female sport. Through in-depth articles, interviews and thoughtful editorial, Living360 has helped to bridge this gap, and we hope that the information spotlighted will better inform women of all ages and solidly their confidence in sports and exercise.”     

Find out more about the campaign here.  

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Notes to editors 

Further information on Living360’s Made to Move campaign can be found here.
For more information about Living360, contact [email protected].

About the research 

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from Living360’s Made to Move survey 2025. The survey was undertaken in early autumn of 2025 and consisted of 761 respondents (aged 18+). 

About Living360    
Living360 is an online magazine helping its readers take a 360-degree approach to wellness. Through articles, newsletters and social media, Living360 tackles wellbeing through mind, body, nutrition, beauty and travel. Its mission is to provide UK audiences with advice that’s both aspirational and achievable — helping readers achieve a sustainably healthier lifestyle without sacrificing those much-needed moments of indulgence.    
 
Instagram: @living360uk    
Facebook: Living360 Plus   
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/living360uk    
Get in touch: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906; [email protected]    

Anna Evdokimou, Living360 Acting Editor    
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906    
[email protected]    

Maria Pieri, Editorial Director & Chief Operating Officer    
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7253 9906    
[email protected] 

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APL Media is a multi-award-winning content marketing agency and publisher, producing high-quality print, digital, and live media across the travel and lifestyle sectors. Since 1997, it has published National Geographic Traveller (UK) under licence from National Geographic Partners LLC, supported by brand extensions including guides, events and digital platforms. The portfolio also features Living360, a digital lifestyle brand covering wellness, travel, food, sustainability, and culture, distributed via national media and its own platform. APL Media delivers custom content, branded campaigns, editorial consultancy and leading events such as the Travel Media Awards and Step Up. Its trade titles include Postcards and the ASTA Worldwide Destination Guide, with content also produced for national newspapers. 
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