Almost one in 10 adults have not walked continuously for five minutes in the past four weeks, according to one of the most comprehensive studies conducted into physical fitness levels in England.
New research examining the lifestyles of a million adults, carried out by the Centre for Market and Public Organisation at Bristol University, paints an alarming picture of a country where "there are very high levels of physical inactivity". The authors of the study argue that levels of physical activity are heavily influenced by socioeconomic factors.
The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, used the government's annual Active People Surveys, dating back to 2006, to examine physical activity across all of England's local authorities and measure it against factors such as income and ethnicity.
The study found that nearly 80% of the population fails to hit key national government targets – performing moderate exercise for 30 minutes at least 12 times a month. It found that just over 8% of adults who could walk had not – with the exception of shopping – walked continuously for five minutes within the previous four weeks, while 46% had not walked for leisure for 30 minutes continuously over the same period. Almost nine out of 10 had not swum and a similar proportion had not used a gym.
One of the report's authors, Professor Carol Propper, described the results as "staggering … The level of physical activity is shockingly low."
The findings provide evidence of a direct correlation between an individual's education, household income and local area deprivation and level of physical activity. Those in a higher socioeconomic position have increased levels of physical activity. Only 12% of adults who are degree-educated are physically inactive. In contrast, those with no qualifications are three times as likely to take little or no exercise.
Inactivity was found to be significantly related to local area deprivation. In areas with a greater number of sports facilities and higher rates of expenditure on sport, individuals are less likely to be physically inactive.
Propper said emerging evidence that a person's general fitness was partly determined by wider socioeconomic factors carried major consequences for society as a whole. "Physical inactivity is the most important modifiable health behaviour for chronic disease, so knowing who is physically inactive is important for designing cost-effective policy interventions," she said. "These findings show physical inactivity in England has a large socioeconomic gradient, with clear evidence of independent disparities by gender, ethnic group, age, geographic area and socioeconomic position."
The study's findings revealed that people of Indian ethnicity were less likely to meet the key national activity target than white people. "They suggest that financial as well as cultural barriers need to be overcome to reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity," Propper added.
Several studies have suggested that the UK is one of the least physically active nations in Europe. According to one study, in which subjects were equipped with accelerometers, only 6% of men and 4% of women met the Department of Health's recommended levels for activity.
More than a quarter of the adult population is obese, while 44% of men and 33% of women are classified as overweight.
The government has raised its targets for physical activity, up from 12 to 18 times a month. "If 80% of people haven't been hitting the first target, it raises questions about why the government has raised it," Propper said.
