London was the UK’s fittest region in 2024, with the highest proportion of people regularly exercising, according to Pure Gym’s third annual fitness report.
The report showed 59% of the capital’s residents in 2024 were regularly exercising, beating the national average of 48%.
This national average was up 3% from last year’s UK exercise levels – around two million more people were exercising in 2024 compared to 2023.
The only region other than London to outperform the national average was the South East of England, with 49% of people exercising regularly.
London, however, remains the only region where more than half of the population are exercising.
Meanwhile, the Midlands lagged behind as the area that exercises the least, with just 44% of people exercising across both the East and the West of the region.
The region-specific data was based on a YouGov survey from September 2024.
Just 10% of the UK population, however, currently meets the government’s recommended level of moderate or vigorous exercise.
One of the key reasons for people struggling with meeting weekly activity targets was fatigue, according to Pure Gym, affecting 68% of the population.
Following close behind, getting enough sleep is an issue for 66% of people in the UK. Back aches and pain afflict 65% of the population, while poor flexibility, coping with stress, and running a short distance, for example to the bus stop, is a concern for 63% of the population.
Nuffield Health’s medical and charity director Dr Davina Deniszczyc said: “It’s concerning that such a small proportion of the population is reaching the recommended amount of weekly exercise.
“This highlights a continued lack of awareness about how important movement is for both the prevention and treatment of long-term health conditions.
“Movement can be as effective as medications, but many people fear starting, don’t prioritise it, or feel it is not accessible to them. For some, that might mean the gym, however regular walking can be just as effective.
“What matters is finding enjoyable forms of activity that suit your lifestyle.
“When movement becomes part of your routine, no matter how small to begin with, it stops feeling like a chore and becomes a habit you can build on over time.”
Image: Anupam Mahapatra on Unsplash
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