Glaswegians getting the fit between teeth

IT’S official – Glaswegians are getting fitter.

The Scottish Household Survey (SHS) revealed adults across the city, regardless of age or gender, were more active than they have been in previous years thanks to a variety of activities – including recreational walking.

In general, more than threequarters of adults (78 per cent) took part in sport and exercise in the four weeks before completing the survey – an increase of five per cent on 2016.

Walking for 30 minutes or more for recreational purposes was the most popular activity, with 65 per cent of adults pulling on their walking shoes – an increase of six per cent on two years ago.

When walking was excluded, more than half of adults (52 per cent) had undertaken at least one other sport and physical exercise activity in the last four weeks, such as cycling, swimming, running, or football, showing an increase of four per cent on 2016.

The survey also breaks down results based on gender, and showed overall sports participation was higher for men (82 per cent) than for women (75 per cent), although both saw an increase of five per cent from 2016.

Recreational walking was higher for men (66 per cent) than for women (64 per cent) for the first time since 2014, yet both the number of men and women walking recreationally increased by nine and four per cent respectively.

The number of women taking part in physical activity (including walking) is currently the highest it’s been since 2009, increasing from 60 per cent to 75 per cent.

The survey is based on a random sample of the general population in private residences in Scotland.