Millions of people throughout the UK took part in physical activity during this year's National Fitness Day (NFD) – a show of strength from the UK's health and fitness industry.

Results, recorded using ComRes polling, showed that a total of 19.1 million people were inspired to be physically active on the day (23 September), smashing the campaign’s 10 million target and making it the most successful NFD to date.

In all, 8.7 million children took part in physical activity on the day – an increase of more than six million on the previous year, partly inspired and driven by schools taking part in a synchronised 10 minutes of activity at 10am – the ‘10@10’ initiative.

Coordinated by industry body, ukactive, NFD is the health and fitness sector's showpiece event and this year took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, the day took special importance, as the fitness industry looks to convince the government that gyms and leisure centres should be classed as essential services, in order for them to be allowed to stay open in the case of lockdowns.

This year's NFD also formed part of the nation’s inaugural Great British Week of Sport, supported by Sport England, which ran from 19 to 27 September.

"National Fitness Day inspired millions more people to be active on the day this year, showing how much our nation loves to move and how our sector coming together can support people to do so," said Will Smithard, ukactive’s strategic projects director.

"The impacts of COVID-19 on the nation’s activity levels was laid bare by Sport England in last week’s Active Lives results, however National Fitness Day has shown that when the nation unites around a common goal of being more active, we can deliver some incredible results.

“The role physical activity plays in our lives is vital in supporting our health and wellbeing, as well as the economy, of the UK, so we must ensure that our gyms and leisure centres can remain open as essential services which can help our recovery from COVID-19.”