It shows the largest survey ever of the Danes’ movement habits, based on 163,000 answers.
The study differs, in addition to thoroughness, from other previous studies by involving many forms of movement other than classical club sports.
Bjarne Ibsen is behind the study “Denmark in Motion”, which, among other things, must provide good input to the municipalities’ efforts in the area of exercise.
– We think we are so similar in little Denmark. But that is not true when it comes to our exercise activities. They are much more about the composition of the population, he says.
The good news is that the general population is very active. When you count it all. And then there are fun patterns, for example that you cycle most in Copenhagen and on Fanø and Ærø.
– A clear connection, however, is also how many vulnerable citizens are in a municipality and who typically exercise much less. Many older and short-educated people are the most important explanation for the big differences, says Bjarne Ibsen.
Project manager and assistant professor Jens Høyer-Kruse from the University of Southern Denmark, who is also behind the study, points out that although new sports facilities are often a hot topic in a municipal election year like this year, politicians need to think twice.
– The number of sports facilities and sports halls has less influence than many people think when it comes to adult Danes’ exercise and movement. The composition of the population in the individual municipality is much more important than whether there are many sports halls.
– So it makes it a little more difficult for the municipalities that can not just just replace their population, says Jens Høyer-Kruse.
Therefore, he encourages the individual municipalities to dive into the new figures for their particular municipality and look at the opportunities they have to make exercise offers that are at eye level with the needs of the citizens.
– The vulnerable groups such as early retirees and others with a more difficult life are the most affected.
– So it’s about the fact that the municipalities have the courage to say to a greater extent that there are areas where people are so resourceful that they do not need help – while there are others who have and who do not shout most up.
Jens Høyer-Kruse emphasizes, however, that when it comes to children and young people, which this study does not focus on, halls and swimming stadiums are still important for participation.
On the other hand, many coastal municipalities have untapped opportunities when it comes to activities at sea.
– Many small streams make a large river. In Denmark we do not win many medals at the Olympics. But we are world champions in grassroots sports. Few countries in the world can compare with us when it comes to how many people engage in some form of exercise in their spare time.
– The Danes do a lot of small activities over the week, which together take up a lot of space, including gardening and the daily walks with the dog, says Jens Høyer-Kruse.
Source: The Nordic Page