Sweden running away as Europe’s healthiest nation

New study reveals that the world’s largest cross country run, TCS Lidingöloppet, epitomizes the country’s culture for running, wellness and outdoor sports

• 70% of Swedes exercise or play sports once a week, making it the most active nation in Europe. One in every three Swedes has taken up running regularly.
• New TCS research finds over three-quarters of Swedes prefer running in nature instead of in cities and gyms, manifesting in growing demand for outdoor events like the TCS Lidingöloppet
• New mobile app launched by TCS will enhance digital experience of runners and spectators

Stockholm, 22 September 2017: Tata Consultancy Services (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, today annonuced new research findings highlighting Sweden’s passion for a healthy lifestyle. It had conducted a study of over 1000 runners in the country to gauge their attitudes and preferences towards running.

Sweden is currently ranked by the European Commission as the top country for health and sports activity levels, with 70% of Swedes saying they excercise or play sports once a week, making it the most active nation in the continent.

In addition, the new study from TCS shows that one in three swedes have taken up running regularly as a form of exercise. Notably, three quarters (77%) of those Swedes who are runners prefer to go outdoors in nature for their excercise, rather than going to a gym or running in the city. The study also highlights that while 82% of Swedish runners prefer to run alone, nearly half (49%) said that setting goals along with other people, by leveraging technology and wearables, helped their own motivation

These findings come as the world’s largest cross-country race – TCS Lidingöloppet – is set to take place on 22nd-24th September 2017 in Sweden, where over 15,000 people are expected to turn out from around the world to take part. The event is growing in international stature and also in terms of corporate engagement. In 2016, as part of its initiative to enhance wellness and health in the communities it operates in, TCS had signed on as title sponsor to the TCS Lidingöloppet run. It is also fielding a team of 650 runners at the event this year, comprising its employees and clients.

Avinash Limaye, TCS Country Manager for Sweden, commented: “The new research highlights the passion that people in Sweden have for running and maintaining an active lifestyle. With Sweden being the most active nation in Europe, our second year of sponsorship for TCS Lidingöloppet race is a great opportunity to inspire thousands of people towards boosting health and wellbeing – fronts that both Sweden and TCS have taken a leadership position on.”

According the European Commission’s Digital Innovation scoreboard, Sweden is also a leader in technology and innovation having ranked second in the overall league table. Building on this appetite for tech and innovation across Sweden, TCS has also launched a new mobile app to allow runners and spectators to track each person’s progress and engage in the race event through their wearable and mobile devices.

Tomas Hoszek, General Manager at Lidingöloppet, commented: “One of the greatest changes in the event’s 52 years of history was the arrival of Tata Consultancy Services as title sponsor and technology partner last year. The team’s entry marked a new beginning for us, both in terms of execution and outreach to a much broader audience. In addition, the introduction of TCS’ new dedicated app that connects the runners and their performance with spectators has added a whole new digital dimension to the race.”

Having operated in Sweden for 25 years, TCS’ partnership with Lidingöloppet highlights the company’s commitment to driving wellbeing and healthy living across the region. And by harnessing digital technology to enhance the experience of all those involved TCS hopes to build on its relationship with the race as part of its long term commitment to the community.

For more information, please contact:
Mattias af Geijerstam, Director of Communications, TCS, Nordic Region
Mattias.afgeijerstam@tcs.com
+46(0)72 39 89 188