June 2015
Featured in this insight: Sports & physical activity
26 per cent of Brits lie about their exercise habits, survey reveals: According to a new survey commissioned by Nelsons Arnicare, 26 per cent of Brits lie about the amount of exercise they do.
The survey also found that British people lie about their exercise habits at least three times per month.
The study of 2,000 people in Britain discovered that the lie most often told was that they exercised more frequently than they actually do. Another common lie told was that an exercise session lasted for longer than it actually had. As well as this, people lied about distance they ran or cycled.
Another lie frequently told by the respondents was that they could lift heavy weights, when they can’t. As well as this, people lie about how long it’s been since they last exercised.
Brand Manager of Nelsons Arnicare, Hugo Pengelley, said of the findings:
"Thanks to social media, there is a new culture of shouting about when you exercised, how far you have run or if you have done something particularly ambitious or unusual. But this means those who don't exercise, or don't do quite as much as others can feel the need to pretend they do more than they do to keep up with their friends or work colleagues."
An alternative study – which was conducted by sweatband.com in 2013 – discovered that women were more likely than men to bend the truth about how much exercise they do.
However, another study, which was published in 2014 by Lancaster University, found that men are more boastful than women, with the researchers finding that 70 per cent of men boast about their achievements and talents. As well as this, approximately 50 per cent of men claimed to be skilled in areas which they had little ability in.
View more of our sector specific insights: Sports & physical activity
