Families! Why not spend two hours being active this Friday? For your health and for yourself.
According to the OECD and WHO “Step Up! Tackling the Burden of Insufficient Physical Activity in Europe” report, in terms of physical activity levels, Poland ranks third from the bottom among European countries. Insufficient levels of physical activity affect not only adults but also children, who are already less fit than their peers from previous generations. Experts warn that if we do not ensure that children get enough exercise, their future will be more difficult than ours, and the attitudes of parents and carers play the most important role in this regard.
This coming Friday, 15 May, marks International Day of Families, established by the United Nations. In addition, there is a campaign called “Two Hours for the Family,” under which employers can shorten the working day, and employees can use this time to strengthen family ties. Why not combine the celebrations for both initiatives and spend two hours together, being active and doing something good for your health?
Time is running out
According to the Central Statistical Office’s (GUS) “Time Use Survey,” 42.4% of people aged 15 and over would like to spend more time on socialising and keeping in touch with family and friends while 38.2% would choose sport and physical activity. The fact that we don’t have enough time for these things is reflected in the low level of physical activity among Polish adults. According to the MultiSport Index 2025 report, nearly two in five of them (36%) have not engaged in any form of physical activity over the past month – they have not gone for a walk, cycled or done any exercise. The level of physical activity among children and young people is no better. Only 16.8% of them meet the WHO’s recommendations by engaging in at least 60 minutes of exercise every day (Global Matrix 4.0 report).
– The level of physical activity in our society is low and, what is even worse, it has stagnated. The challenge lies not only in encouraging inactive people to get moving, but also in changing our mindset so that physical activity becomes a natural part of life for people of all ages. We need to dispel the stereotype that exercise is a chore or something beyond our capabilities, because it is in fact an investment in our health and wellbeing that pays off at every stage of life – says Prof. Ernest Kuchar, sports medicine and infectious diseases specialist at the Medical University of Warsaw.
In search of lost activity
– When during the winter holidays MultiSport asked parents how long their child will be physically active each day, only 20% answered “an hour a day.” And that is precisely what the World Health Organisation recommends. As for the time spent in front of various types of screens, 45% of parents estimated that it would amount to at least three hours a day. Although physical activity is widely recognised as a key element of preventive healthcare, in practice it often takes a back seat to passive leisure activities such as browsing the internet or watching television – comments Prof. Kuchar.
As a result, as many as 56% of parents felt that their family hadn’t been active enough during this year’s winter holidays. Awareness does not always translate into concrete action.
– Encouraging society to take up regular physical activity has an impact on the quality of life not only of the current generation, but also of future generations. A lack of physical activity contributes to a significantly higher incidence of chronic diseases, mainly lifestyle-related conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and obesity, as well as insomnia, depression and mood disorders. As a result, demand for healthcare services is growing at a rate that is out of proportion to demographic changes. The solution lies in preventive healthcare and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, the cornerstones of which – alongside avoiding stimulants, a balanced diet and regular screening tests – is regular physical activity – explains Prof. Kuchar. He also emphasises that it is never too late to start exercising. Even people who have avoided being active for years will reap significant health benefits by incorporating moderate physical activity into their daily routine.
As the twig is bent, so grows the tree…
There is a link between whether we were physically active as children and the extent to which we are physically active in our adult lives. The majority (58%) of Poles who currently exercise for more than three hours a week admit that sport was practised in their family homes (MultiSport Index report: Sportcrastination).
What sort of activities do parents turn to these days to spend time with their children? When we’re outdoors, we usually go for walks in the park or visit playgrounds. If, on the other hand, we’re doing family activities indoors, the most popular options are swimming at a pool or visiting a water park, a play centre, a trampoline park or a climbing wall.
Thanks to the benefits, all family members can access sports and leisure facilities on preferential terms. MultiSport Programme data shows that 75% of parents of school-age children expect their employers to offer such schemes.
Barbara Jastrzębska
Benefit Systems has been a leader in the Polish non-financial benefits market for over 20 years and one of the most important players in the fitness industry in the region. For years, the company has been setting market development directions, creating modern solutions that support employee wellbeing and promote an active lifestyle. Benefit Systems’ flagship product is the MultiSport Programme – the most recognizable and most frequently chosen sports programme in Poland, providing access to thousands of sports and recreational facilities. The company’s strong portfolio is complemented by the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the comprehensive Multi.Life wellbeing programme, creating a unique ecosystem of benefits for companies that care about their employees. Benefit Systems is also dynamically expanding its presence abroad. The company’s sports offer is available in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Turkey, which strengthens its position as one of the key providers of wellbeing services in Central and Eastern Europe. The group is also a major operator of fitness clubs in six markets, and in Poland it is responsible for well-known networks, including Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, My Fitness Place and Zdrofit. Benefit Systems’ mission is to inspire physical activity and care for health at every stage of life. That’s why the company runs numerous educational and health-promoting initiatives for children, adults, and seniors, including through the MultiSport Foundation. Its actions confirm that the role of a leader is not only about scale, but also about real social influence. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been a member of the prestigious B Corp community, which brings together companies that adhere to the highest standards of responsibility and social involvement in their business. More information at benefitsystems.pl/en and biuroprasowe.benefitsystems.pl/releases/English.
