4156.0 - Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/12/2011   
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EXERCISE LEVELS

The ABS 2007-2008 ABS National Health Survey collected data about people's level of exercise. The findings of the survey have been summarised in the ABS (2009c) publication National Health Survey: Summary of Results, 2007-2008 (cat. no. 4364.0).

In the two weeks prior to interview, 22% of respondents aged 15 years or over had been involved in some form of moderate exercise (exercise which caused a moderate increase in heart rate or breathing) and 6% were doing vigorous exercise (exercise which caused a large increase in heart rate or breathing).

More women than men had low exercise levels (39% and 33% respectively). Men were more likely than women to do moderate exercise (24% compared with 20%) and vigorous exercise (9% compared with 4%).

3.9 Adult exercise levels(a)(b), By sex - 2007-2008

Males
Females
Persons
Level of exercise
'000
%
'000
%
'000
%

Sedentary
2 803.8
34.2
3 040.2
36.1
5 844.0
35.2
Low
2 726.3
33.3
3 316.7
39.4
6 043.1
36.4
Moderate
1 945.4
23.8
1 707.1
20.3
3 652.5
22.0
High
703.6
8.6
344.4
4.1
1 048.0
6.3
Total(c)
8 187.8
100.0
8 412.8
100.0
16 600.6
100.0

(a) Adults aged 15 years and over.
(b) Exercise undertaken in the two weeks prior to interview.
(c) Includes persons for whom the level of exercise was not stated.
Source: National Health Survey: Summary of Results, Australia, 2007-2008 (cat. no. 4364.0) Revised data released 23 November 2010.





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