Larry Weindruch for NSGA

Among sports participants age seven and older, females constitute a majority of participants in four of six fitness activities surveyed for 2006 by the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), according to data in the new NSGA Sports Participation reports. After aerobic exercising (71%), females represented 50% or more of participants in exercise walking, working out at a club and exercising with equipment, where they represent 60%, 56% and 51% of participants, respectively.

Retail sales of sporting goods (footwear, clothing and equipment), which reached a record $52.1 billion in 2006, are expected to grow 3% in 2007, according to NSGA. For 2007, sporting goods sales are forecast to increase to $53.7 billion.