One in 10 said they had not done any real physical exercise in
more than a decade. More than a ?fth said the last time they
were really physically active was at school, college or
university and only a quarter said they had been really
physically active in the past week. Even half of those aged
under 24 had run no further than 100 yards in the past 12
months. And 94 per cent of those questioned did not deem
physical ?tness as being of prime importance in their lives.
Long hours in the of?ce were the reason 41 per cent gave for not
?nding time to exercise while childcare was blamed by 33 per
cent. Getting married caused 22 per cent to exercise less while
another major reason was a lack of cash. Staying ?t and active
every day can dramatically reduce the risk of developing
diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and dementia. Ellen
Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation
which commissioned the survey, said: “The poll showed being
physically active was not a regular feature in the majority of