Mental health is increasingly recognised as a critical part of wellbeing and in response to demand, England's National Health Service (NHS) is set to open a network of mental health crisis centres across the country to relieve the pressure on overcrowded hospital accident and emergency services.

The 40th FIBO has taken place in Cologne, Germany, as Kath Hudson reports

Celebrating its 40th anniversary last week, FIBO – the world’s leading trade show for health, fitness and wellness – welcomed 1200 exhibitors to Köln.

Cliff Collins gives the historic background to the development of the health and fitness sector across the Continent

In a special report, Cliff Collins asks if the sector in Europe is heading in the right direction in terms of policy and priorities and suggests new ways forward

New Eurobarometer research results, published by the European Commission, show conclusively that women remain less active than men.

Alfonso Jimenez of Think Active is driving a global data programme to prove the impact of the sector, while Quest is launching new inclusivity assessments

We hear from Muir Gray of the Living Longer Better Programme, Dave Stalker of EuropeActive and Chris Hebblewhite of GLL

EuropeActive has joined the All Policies for a Healthy Europe (APHE) initiative, as part of its strategy to increasingly engage with EU health policymaking.

Research from Sport England shows physical activity in England is worth £85.5bn each year in economic impact

Every £1 spent on community sport and physical activity in England generates £3.91 in return for the economy and society.

The fitness industry in Europe is uniting today (30 May) to launch #beactivehour, a free one hour workout at 5.00pm CET/3.00pm GMT.

BMF with Bear Grylls will look to active people across the continent with BeActive Hour, a European-wide initiative set for 30 May.

British organisation Ourmala has been granted a slice of a €600,000 (£512,733, US$636,226) European Commission fund to help integrate refugees into society through sport.

How Holmes Place Portugal linked up with the Portuguese Cardiology Foundation to raise the issue of inactivity

The prescription of physical activity by medical professionals and increased funding to support the inclusion of refugees are two of several recommendations made in a new grassroots sport report published by the European Commission.

What do new regulations on the transferral of personal data mean for your business?

The latest data on physical activity levels in the European Union seem to suggest that countries on the Eastern edge of the EU are more active than those in central Europe and the west.

The former Lib Dem MEP and now president of EuropeActive talks to Kate Cracknell about transforming the ‘Cinderalla sport’ of fitness

ukactive has announced that it will spearhead the UK arm of a Europe-wide initiative to help young children lead healthier lifestyles.

The first ever European Week of Sport will be held next month as part of plans to combat the decline in physical activity across the continent.

EuropeActive has signed an “historic memorandum of co-operation” with UNI-Europa and the European Association of Sport Employers (EASE) to advance the position of social dialogue for the European fitness sector.

Health experts are calling for greater wellbeing services to be made available for would-be mothers, amid findings that children born to overweight mothers are at greater risk of health problems in later life.

What lies ahead for the health and fitness sector from a European perspective, and how will this impact individual businesses?

EuropeActive has set itself the ambitious goal of almost doubling the number of health club members in Europe by 2025 as the health and fitness industry representative seeks to strengthen its credentials as an antidote to the continent’s inactivity crisis.

74 per cent of EU citizens are not members of any type of sport or exercise club, according to the latest Eurobarometer report.

IHRSA is partnering with the European Commission in a new project – European Fitness Inclusion Training for Work (E-FIT-W) – which will help operators develop the skills needed to work with people with disabilities.

New exercise advice is needed to protect children from developing heart and circulation problems in adulthood, according to research conducted as part of a European Commission-sponsored project.

Nutritional supplements are potentially a great revenue stream for clubs, but new European legislation is going to make it harder to promote them

The EU is now focusing on physical activity as a way of addressing obesity, and is looking to our sector for solutions, says Kate Cracknell