Scarborough residents amongst the most active in Yorkshire area

Sport England asked 481 Scarborough residents about their exercise habits as part of its annual Active Lives survey.

Of these, 64% said they did at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week , down slightly on the previous year. This placed the area 10th out of the region’s 22 local authorities.

A further 11% said they were fairly active, doing between 30 and 149 minutes of activity, while 25% were inactive, with less than 30 minutes of exercise each week.

The NHS says adults aged between 19 and 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week to stay healthy.

This could include cycling over flat ground, brisk walking, or water aerobics. They should also do strength exercises such as yoga, pilates, or lifting weights twice a week.

Almost 178,000 people across England were polled for the latest survey, which revealed a record 63% of people were active. It also found the lowest ever number of inactive people since the survey began in 2015, at just 25%.

According to the survey, the poorest people are the most likely to be inactive – 33% did less than half an hour activity, compared to just 16% of the wealthiest people.

They were also the least likely to be active, with just 54% doing 150 minutes of exercise compared to 72% among the more affluent group.

Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth said the improvements were excellent news, but that more needed to be done.

He said: “It shows us that efforts to help more people get active are starting to make a real difference, particularly for older adults, women and those with a disability or long-term health condition.

“But we can’t be complacent. Within the overall positive picture of these figures is a sobering reality – if you are well-off, you are far more likely to be active than if you’re on a low income or less affluent.”