Anytime Fitness chief executive and co-founder Chuck Runyon has been appointed to the board of directors of the International, Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).

Commenting on his new role, Runyon said he will aim to make the promotion of exercise as preventative medicine a central focus at IHRSA during his tenure.

"I believe we ought to work with public officials, business leaders and representatives of the insurance and medical communities to change the way many people think about exercise," he said.

"It is not something to be dreaded. Exercise is medicine - and we need to help more people understand that, if we truly expect them to change."

Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness is a franchise-led business which currently has 1,300 clubs in 48 states in the US.