People doing less exercise in Oxfordshire

The governing body said more needed to be done to improve access to exercise for poorer people, despite record levels of physical activity and sports participation across the country.

As part of its annual Active Lives survey, 2,732 Oxfordshire residents were asked about their exercise habits.

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Of these, 67.2 per cent said they did at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week – the threshold for an 'active' lifestyle.

This was a decrease on the 67.6 per cent who said they were active when the survey started three years ago.

A further 12.5 per cent said they were fairly active, doing between 30 and 149 minutes of activity, while 20.3 per cent were inactive, with less than 30 minutes of exercise each week.

The NHS says adults aged between 19 and 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week to stay healthy.

This could include cycling over flat ground, brisk walking, or water aerobics.

They should also do strength exercises such as yoga, pilates, or lifting weights twice a week.

Almost 178,000 people across England were polled for the latest survey, which revealed a record 63 per cent of people were active.

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It also found the lowest ever number of inactive people since the survey began in 2015, at just 25%, with improvements driven by women and older people doing more exercise.

Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth said the improvements were excellent news, but that more needed to be done.

He said: "It shows us that efforts to help more people get active are starting to make a real difference, particularly for older adults, women and those with a disability or long-term health condition.

“But we can’t be complacent. Within the overall positive picture of these figures is a sobering reality – if you are well-off, you are far more likely to be active than if you’re on a low income or less affluent.

“While there are complex barriers that stop less well-off people from getting active, this is an unacceptable inequality and one we’re starting to address in the work we are doing across the country."

According to the survey, the poorest people are the most likely to be inactive – 33 per cent did less than half an hour activity, compared to just 16 per cent of the wealthiest people.

They were also the least likely to be active, with just 54 per cent doing 150 minutes of exercise compared to 72 per cent among the more affluent group.

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The survey found that those who were active reported feeling less anxious, and had higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

Nigel Adams, minister for sport and civil society, said: "Every single person in this country should have the opportunity to take part in sport and activity.

"It is not only good for our physical health but it also boosts our mental well-being and makes people happier.

"Sport England is rightly focusing on further increasing participation so that people from all backgrounds can get, and enjoy being active."