Exercise failure puts more than half of Australians at mental and physical risk

EXCLUSIVE: More than half of Australians have not exercised in three months, putting their physical and mental health at risk, alarming new research says.

Jo Walsh and Charlotte Ingram hit the sand at Coogee for a stretch and a chat.

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MORE than half of Australians have not exercised in three months, putting their physical and mental health at risk, alarming new research says.

And doctors are warning that inactivity is as dangerous to health as smoking

Data from health insurer Medibank shows 15.3 per cent of the national population is now depressed, up from 13.1 per cent seven years ago, while 25.4 per cent of people now suffer from stress, compared with 22.8 per cent previously.

Jo Walsh and Charlotte Ingram agree that yoga is great for keeping up mental and physical condition.

Cases of anxiety have risen from 11.6 per cent in 2010 to 18.7 per cent now — almost one in five people.

Despite the research also showing that exercise can ­reduce depression, anxiety and stress, 51 per cent of people said they had not exercised in the past three months.

The study showed that people who engaged in group exercise activity were half as likely to suffer depression — just 7 per cent.

Even those who exercised alone were less likely to suffer from depression, but those who did not exercise were 17.3 per cent more likely to be depressed than the general population.

“There are strong links ­between mental health condition and low activity, particularly depression, anxiety and stress levels are all found to be improved if you are active and worse if you’re inactive,” Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan said.

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Dr Swan said simply walking to the bus or gardening could be enough to ward off the negative health effects of inactivity — a problem that was not isolated to those who were overweight.

“Just being inactive is bad for you and it’s really concerning to find out that more than half of people haven’t exercised in the past three months.

“It’s a real sign we don’t have enough focus on this from a public health concern,” she said.

“The research around effects of inactivity is becoming more compelling and (there is a) growing sense that being inactive is as bad for you as smoking.”

Friends Jo Walsh and Charlotte Ingram both enjoy yoga to keep up their physical and mental health.

“It’s good for the body and good for the mind,” Ms Ingram, of Double Bay, said.

“I do it every day, sometimes in the mornings or sometimes after work. It’s a fantastic way to unwind.”

In a bid to get people moving, Medibank’s new Free + Active program will offer hundreds of free exercise events over the next five years, starting with 40 new park runs across the nation.