Abstract

This paper examines the effect of the socio-demographic and practice (frequency and length) characteristics of adult users of public fitness training programmes in small towns on their levels of satisfaction. Based on a sample of 2,243 women users a quantitative study was carried out using a descriptive and inferential survey. The overall results show a mostly high level of satisfaction with the variables studied. Intangible factors related to action by the sports instructor were most highly rated, above tangible factors concerning the facility (cleanliness, ventilation and accessibility) and organisation (number of hours offered per week). There are differences in satisfaction by age, length of time in the programme and frequency with which it is done in all aspects of the activity except for the appropriateness of the material. Users aged between 25 and 44 are the least satisfied with all the variables and those who have been doing the programme for longest are the least satisfied with the cleanliness, appropriateness of the material and use of class time. Finally, users attending three days a week have the lowest opinion of environmental (ventilation and appropriateness of the material) and organisational (length, motivation, timetable and intensity) conditions.