Nearly half of women in the UK have not exercised vigorously in the last 12 months and most say they lack motivation, a survey suggests.
The percentages are lower for men, with just over a third saying they haven’t exercised in that period and half citing a lack of motivation, according to data from health care charity Nuffield. Health.
In the online survey of 8,000 adults across the country in February, 38% of women said they had lost the habit of exercising during the lockdown.
11% said they developed good exercise habits but had trouble maintaining them, and 14% stopped exercising altogether, according to the organization. Healthiest Nation Index He showed.
Thirty-seven percent reported that their physical health had worsened in the past 12 months, and 47% said they had not done any vigorous exercise.
For men, 28% said their physical health had worsened over the same period, and 34% admitted not engaging in any vigorous activity in that time.
67% of women cited a lack of motivation compared to 51% of men, and 35% of women said they felt like they didn’t know where to start when it came to exercise, compared to 28% of the men.
55% said lack of time due to work was a barrier, compared to 46% of men.
The NHS defines vigorous exercise such as activities such as running, swimming, an aerobics class, or gymnastics.
Sign up for First Edition, our free daily newsletter, every Monday to Friday morning at 7am BST
Tennis coach Judy Murray, mother of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and an ambassador for the Healthier Nation Index, said the data showed a “really big challenge” in terms of “activating the nation”, especially women, who He said they were “struggling to find the time to focus on their well-being”.
He added, “I hope everyone can take a few minutes to find something active that they enjoy doing, as well as finding someone they can do it with.
“Exercising with friends helps me find both motivation and routine, as well as providing an extra boost for my mental health, so I encourage everyone to gather friends and move together.”
Nuffield has launched a Find Time for Your Mind campaign, which aims to encourage people to get an extra five minutes of exercise a day to improve mental and physical well-being.
