The Divide In Exercise

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday December 3, 2008

By KYLIE WILLIAMS Health Reporter

MEN in the Hunter New England Health service region are the most physically active in the state but their female counterparts are the least active, the latest NSW Government figures show.

The 2007 Report on Adult Health in NSW says 69.7 per cent of men in the region did adequate weekly exercise, making them the most physically active in the state.

But only 40.6 per cent of regional woman did enough weekly exercise, making them the least active in NSW.

Adequate activity was defined as 150 minutes a week divided into five sessions.

The survey was conducted via a phone interview.

Healthy Dads Healthy Kids program lead researcher and University of Newcastle associate professor Phil Morgan said it was well recognised that males were more active than females, even as babies, because of genetic and sociological factors.

"The toys we give boys encourage them to be active," he said.

But the larger differences in exercise levels between men and women in the Hunter New England region could be down to a number of factors.

Males were more likely to play sport as children, which required learning ball and motor skills, increasing participation as adults because they were more confident.

The region's strong culture of sporting competitions probably exaggerated this difference between the sexes.

As the survey involved self-reporting, it was also likely some men exaggerated the truth, Dr Morgan said.

"Similarly with something of this nature often women are more prepared to answer surveys," he said.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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