How half of women get out of breath just running to catch a bus

NEARLY half of women get short of breath simply running for a bus, a survey revealed.

It found 48 per cent admit they are so unfit they cannot jog short distances without becoming breathless – compared with 42 per cent of men.

Half of adults believe the furthest they could run is half a mile, with one in five saying they could manage only 100 metres (330ft).

Even among those who claim they could cope with a mile, a third last did so over a decade ago – suggesting their fitness levels may not be quite what they think.

The stark findings were revealed in a survey of 2,000 adults for the British Heart Foundation, which called them ‘worrying’.

Separate statistics from Public Health England show that 62 per cent of adults (65 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women) are over-

‘Worrying picture’

weight or obese. This raises their risk of heart disease, which affects around seven million Britons.

Christopher Allen, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘These statistics paint a worrying picture of the nation’s fitness levels.

‘Heart disease can affect anyone, but keeping physically active is one of the best ways to help build a strong heart so we shouldn’t ignore the benefits.’

Despite the advantages of exercise, 38 per cent of those polled said they did not feel fit enough to join a gym.

Just over a quarter thought that running was for those who are already in shape.

And according to Public Health England, just 55 per cent of women are likely to achieve the Government’s recommended level of 150 minutes of exercise a week – compared with 67 per cent of men.

Obesity has doubled in the past 25 years, with a Government report predicting that the majority of Britons could be obese by 2050.

Currently just over one in three (36 per cent) of adults are obese, with the proportion of men and women roughly equal.