Getting enough exercise in each week can be challenging for many of us, especially while juggling work, family and caring commitments. But if we’re looking to build better physical and mental health, increasing physical activity is key.
Recent research has indicated women are doing much less exercise than men each week – it’s called the “gender exercise gap”, and it’s been highlighted in the ASICS State of Mind Index, a research project that also points out women are potentially missing out on the positive mental and physical benefits that come with doing more exercise.
The index shows that globally, women exercise, on average, for 140 minutes per week, which is 40 minutes less than men, who generally exercise for 180 minutes. In Australia, this gap between men and women jumps to 60 minutes.
The State of Mind Index also shows it only takes 15 minutes and 9 seconds of physical activity to experience a positive uplift in mood. The study found that the more we move, the higher our State of Mind score tends to be.
In Australia, there was a disparity of 9 points between men (66/100) and women’s (57/100) State of Mind. Alarmingly, this gap was the 2nd largest disparity between genders out of the 16 countries that were surveyed. The United States was the only nation to have a larger gap.
Indeed, research from The Australian National University (ANU) in 2022 showed that for those in heterosexual relationships, men tend to “borrow” free time to exercise from their female partners, who get less opportunity to focus on their health, with their time being squeezed to manage their jobs and family.
The researchers found that women’s physical activity dropped when their paid or family work hours increased, or if their paid work was less flexible.
For Australian cricket player Alyssa Healy, there are plenty of reasons why women might be exercising less than men, and she points to her early interest in playing cricket as a child as an example.
“I can imagine there would be a lot of reasons why women are exercising less, such as family or work commitments, through to there just being less opportunity for women to participate in team sports,” Healy told Women’s Agenda.
“When I started playing cricket there were not many female teams and I played in a boys’ team. That can be intimidating and off-putting for a lot of women.”
Healy suggests women looking to incorporate more movement into their week might want to start slow, and find a form of activity that they find motivating.
“Whether it’s taking a walk, attending a fitness class, or trying a new sport, make sure it’s something that motivates you to keep going,” Healy said. “It’s also essential to set realistic goals and track your progress, as this can help keep you accountable and motivated.”