The initiative that swept the city over the course of 20 October to 18 November left a fantastic influence on Dubai residents. The month-long venture called the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC), motivated all Dubai residents to take part in anything fitness related for just 30 minutes a day. The month was packed with free exercise classes, gym sessions, features of high profile athletes and celebrities, and various free sporting events across the city.
The goal of DFC was to get Dubai to be the most active city in the world, but its end exceeded the goal by far! Not only was there huge participation across demographics, the month achieved a whole range of values. Particularly the incredibly inclusive nature of the month that brought participants from all spectrums of society, regardless of race, age, religion, or ability. There were also behavioral changes across other participants. According to the Dubai Media Office, smokers that participated during DFC that considered themselves as ‘regular smokers’ fell from 67% to 58%.
Furthermore, hundreds of participants of DFC succeeded in the challenge with a 90% achievement rate that fulfilled the 30 minutes of daily activity, according to Dubai Media Office. These commitments were surveyed and seem to have established long lasting commitments for an active lifestyle throughout the year.