Gut Check: Dad Bods Are 'In' And More Than Two-Thirds Of Women Agree

In Celebration of Father's Day, Planet Fitness Shares How Dads - and Others - See the Softer Side of Fatherhood

News provided by

Jun 08, 2017, 13:05 ET

HAMPTON, N.H., June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This Father's Day, Planet Fitness, Inc., one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the U.S., celebrates dads of every shape and size by revealing what people really think about that ultimate badge of fatherhood, the "dad bod." Based on the results of a national study* commissioned by Planet Fitness, known as the Judgement Free Zone®, men shouldn't stress about maintaining a perfectly sculpted physique. The survey finds that those who identify as having dad bods – and the men and women who love them – are more widely perceived to be self-confident, committed to their jobs and have happy marriages.

Planet Fitness Celebrates the Dad Bod (INFOGRAPHIC)

In fact, more than nine in ten men (92 percent) with dad bods are satisfied with their marriage while more than four in five are content with their life overall (86 percent) and family life (83 percent). Plus, not only do three in five (60 percent) men not feel judged for having a dad bod, but 61 percent say that rockin' a dad bod invokes a sense of pride.

"At Planet Fitness, we want our members to know they will never be judged while working out. So on Father's Day this year, we thought it would be fun to look at how men and women – parents or not – feel about the dad bod," said Jessica Correa, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Planet Fitness. "Our survey results show the majority of people think positively about dad bods, and men who identify as having them are proud of who they are. That's exactly how we want all of our members to feel when they come to Planet Fitness."

Even more interesting is how women (including moms) perceive dad bods, including:

Ooo La La. Close to seven in ten women (69 percent) find dads bods attractive, while nearly three in four (74 percent) moms agree.
Confidence is Key. 78 percent of women feel men with dad bods are confident in their own skin. Four in five (80 percent) moms feel men with dad bods are confident in their own skin.
Don't Suck It In. Close to half of women (47 percent) even believe dad bods are the new six-pack. Nearly three in five (58 percent) mothers feel dad bods are the new six-pack.
He's My Man. 83 percent of mothers would be proud to have a husband with a dad bod.

Planet Fitness offers extremely low prices (memberships for just $10 or $19.99 a month) and a variety of benefits including a hassle-free environment called the Judgement Free Zone, brand name cardio and strength equipment, fully equipped locker rooms, flat screen televisions, unlimited small group fitness instruction by a certified trainer through the pe @ pf® program, and much more.

Planet Fitness also provides members with an opportunity to connect and support each other with "Planet of Triumphs," an online community that celebrates all accomplishments and inspirational stories of Planet Fitness members. Planet of Triumphs provides an online platform for members to recognize their triumphs (big or small), share their stories and encourage others, reinforcing the Company's belief that 'everyone belongs'. Check out real Planet Fitness member stories and accomplishments at PlanetofTriumphs.com.

For more information on Planet Fitness and to find a club near you visit www.PlanetFitness.com.

* Online survey conducted by Kelton Global to 2,006 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over, with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percent.

About Planet Fitness
Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of March 31, 2017, Planet Fitness had approximately 10 million members and more than 1,300 stores in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone®. More than 95 percent of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

SOURCE Planet Fitness, Inc.