YORKS AND HUMBER OLDIES FIVE TIMES AS LIKELY TO EXERCISE TO IMPROVE THEIR SEX LIFE AS NORTH EAST NEIGHBOURS.

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

September 30, 2011.

YORKS AND HUMBER OLDIES FIVE TIMES AS LIKELY TO EXERCISE TO IMPROVE THEIR SEX LIFE AS NORTH EAST NEIGHBOURS.

Five times as many older people in Yorkshire and Humberside use exercise to improve sex in later life compared to neighbouring North East of England.

That’s just one finding of an independently-conducted study commissioned by over-50s group Saga which also found that five times as many over-50s men compared to women say they’ve embarked on their exercise regime to improve their sex life.

The research, carried out the study in the run up to Older People’s Day on October 1, showed that over-50s are chasing improved fitness levels in later life, with the vast majority of older people citing health improvement or active-life extension as the main reason for pavement pounding and Wii Fit workouts – and Wii Fit has overtaken bowls as a way of staying in shape.

Around 38% of 50-somethings flex their muscles for between two and five hours a week – a level fitness experts say is likely to be life-enhancing – but more people put in the hours the older they get: 44% of 65 to 69-year-olds exercise for up to five hours, with the better-off are even more likely to put in the effort.

“It’s really beginning to dawn on the older generations that the now defunct default retirement age is not a count-down to the nursing home, but the start of the ‘bonus years’ – and to make the most of the opportunities in work and play, they need to have a decent standard of fitness: so more older people are spending more time exercising, and feeling the benefits on many fronts,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga.

41% of 50 to 54-year-olds did no exercise or “less than an hour” a week compared to 30% of 65 to 69-year-olds; and while 38% of 50 to 54-year-olds did between two and five hours of exercise, 44% of 65 to 69-year-olds committed to the same level of exercise, with 62% doing between two and ten hours exercise a week.

But fitness for older people is not all about tea dances and bowls: one in 25 over-50s, and one in 50 aged 75 use Wii Fit as a way of keeping fit. More admit to using Wii Fit as a means of exercise than bowls, and is equivalent to those who jog.

Meanwhile, five times as many over-50s men compared to women say they’ve embarked on their exercise regime to improve their sex life.

But five times as many older people in Yorkshire and Humberside use exercise to improve their physical relationship compared to the neighbouring North East.

80% of Saga panellists say they are more conscious of the need to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle now than they were in their 30s. A quarter of women say they exercise more now than in their 30s.

Over-50s also believe maintaining their mental fitness is important - 99% agree that it is ‘very important’ or ‘important’ - and crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and TV quiz games were the most popular forms of mental exercises (60%, 40% and 36% respectively doing each). One-in-ten use electronic brain-training games.

Populus interviewed 10,483 Saga customers, all aged 50+, online between 12 September and 15 September 2011. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules; for more information see www.populus.co.uk.

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800