New research shows that 26% of British men have suffered from a mental health condition, yet just 39% say that exercise is an important part of their routine.
With Stress Awareness Month coming up, new research published by Aviva makes for interesting reading. Notably, there seems to be a direct correlation between a general lack of exercise and high levels of stress…
the research
- Men are more likely to be overweight than women (38% vs. 23%)
- Less than half of women (46%) in the UK are a healthy weight, compared with less than two fifths of men (39%)
- Only 18% of men eat the recommended daily amount of fruit and veg, compared with 25% of women
- 26% of men suffer or have suffered from a mental health condition, compared with 34% of women
- Stress is the most common mental health condition, with a third (33%) experiencing this in the past year
- 34% of those who suffer from stress cited work concerns as the reason for their stress, as well as 20% juggling work-life balance
| Barriers to exercise | People in UK (%) |
| I know I should exercise more but I find it boring/hard work | 59% |
| I sometimes tell myself that I am exercising by doing household chores e.g. hoovering, cleaning | 55% |
| I find it more difficult to exercise in the winter/darker months | 53% |
| I don’t always enjoy exercising but I make sure I do it for the health benefits | 47% |
| I’m too tired to exercise | 43% |
| I don’t know how much exercise I should be doing | 42% |
| I struggle to find the time to exercise | 41% |
| I’m not too bothered about exercising, as long as I look/feel good | 29% |
| I sometimes exercise purely so I can eat more/because I’ve overeaten | 16% |
| I really enjoy exercising, it’s an important part of my routine | 39% |
- More than seven in ten (72%) people exercise at least once a week
- Only 60% exercise at least two to three times a week
- Almost one in five (17%) people never exercise, and those who are obese are far more likely to fall into this category (28%) compared to overweight people (16%) and healthy people (12%)
- One in five (19%) people want to feel more physically fit
- At the moment, 15% of people use an app to track exercise and 35% would be open to the idea
For more information about the research, visit aviva.co.uk/private-health-insurance/health-tips/work-life-balance
