Australian women exercise more than men, report finds
Updated
Australian women are outperforming men when it comes to keeping active, according to data from the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).
Sixty-one per cent of Australian women are exercising at least three times a week, while among men the figure is 57 per cent.
Australia's most popular club sports:
- Golf
- Football
- Tennis
- Cricket
- Netball
The ASC this week released its state-by-state breakdown of its AusPlay report, tracking sports participation and physical activity nationwide.
The trend was consistent in every state and territory, with the difference the starkest in Queensland.
Paul Fairweather from the ASC said the gender split partly came down to the different motivations men and women have in exercising.
"Health and fitness is the number one motivation for anyone playing sport or doing physical activity," he said.
"But when you look at women, it's around the benefits they get from health and fitness - mental health, and they look at it as a source of maybe reducing weight, or at least keeping their health stable.
"For men, it's very much around fun and enjoyment and the social side of things."
Mr Fairweather said the difference in the figures was small enough that it should not cause great concern.
"Maybe women are a little bit more focused on their health than men - but not by much," he said.
ACT the most active jurisdiction, NT exercises the least
The ACT is leading the way in keeping physically active, with 66 per cent of Canberrans exercising three or more times a week.
Western Australia is the second most active at 60 per cent, while the Northern Territory is the least active at 53 per cent.
Mr Fairweather said the ACT was at an advantage, with high-quality sporting facilities and higher average incomes.
"It has a higher level of income than all the other states and territories," he said.
"And we know from this survey and virtually every survey that's done, that the higher your level of income, the more likely you are to participate in sport."
But he said all Australians would do well to exercise a little more often.
"If you have a look at what the Government would like everybody to do, to get the full benefits from sport, it's clearly not enough," he said.
Topics: exercise-and-fitness, health, canberra-2600, act, australia
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