More people than ever are heading for gyms More people than ever are visiting UK gyms and fitness clubs, according to statistics. However, four in ten people still think that membership prices are too steep. London is also the capital when it comes to gym use, with more than one in five of those surveyed claiming to regularly go to the gym. The least active area is Wales and the south-west, where less than one in ten work out. As a whole, the UK is facing a sharp rise in the number of people suffering from obesity.
Obesity increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
Experts have estimated that exercise which raises the heart rate for twenty minutes a few times a week is beneficial to health. Adults aged 20 to 44 are the most common gym-users, suggests the survey, and three quarters of those claim to use them at least once a week. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Links to other Health stories are at the foot of the page.