Image: A third of adults were not physically active

New research published by the Welsh Government has reported "little change" in physical activity levels over the last eight years, with one-in-three adults found to do no exercise.

Welsh Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2010 uses data sourced from the Welsh Health Survey and aims to provide an overview of physical activity across the country.

It was produced on behalf of the Welsh Government by NatCen Social Research, which has carried out the survey of 15,000 adults and 3,000 children since 2003-04.

Among the results of the latest study is that 34 per cent of adults reported no "active days", while 30 per cent were active for more than five days in the week-long reporting period.

Physical activity levels decline as age increased - particularly among the male demographic - and Powys was the county with the highest proportion of physically active people.

More than half (52 per cent) of children between four- and 15-years-old did more than five days of physical activity, while 12 per cent reported no physical activity.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "Analysis by socio-economic group showed that adults in routine and manual occupations were most likely to report doing no physically active days a week, and adults in managerial and professional occupations were least likely.

"Similarly, adults in the most deprived areas of Wales were more likely to report doing no physically active days a week."

Click here for more information about the Welsh Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2010.

Image: Andrey Burmakin/shutterstock.com