DOHA: Qatari women show more interest in physical exercises compared to Qatari men, reveals a new survey conducted by the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) ahead of the National Sports Day.
The survey has found a significant rise in the number of Qataris and non-Qataris practising sport, compared to last year.
The number of respondents practising sport reached 89.2 percent, against 72 percent last year.
Majority of sport practitioners were degree holders. About 77 percent Qataris practising sport have a bachelor’s or higher degree, while 60.5 percent were women.
Women constituted only 23.2 percent of the total 78.3 percent non-Qataris with a bachelor’s or higher degree practising sport.
There were 45.2 percent married Qatari sport practitioners, of whom women represented 40.4 percent. Women constituted 17 percent of the total 56 percent married non-Qatari sport practitioners.
QSA, which released results yesterday, said that 22 percent of the participants changed their diet after the first National Sport Day Celebration, 36 percent made exercises part of their daily routine, and 42 percent became interested in getting their body into shape.
Walking and jogging remained the two favoured sports, practised by 59 percent of the Qatari and 49.3 percent of the non-Qatari respondents. The largest portion of the participants (35 percent) were from the 20-29 age group, of whom Qataris made up 36 percent, non-Qataris 34 percent and women 44.4 percent.
Fifty percent of the men and 48.2 percent of women who responded to the survey said they engage in physical exercise to stay healthy and maintain their current weight.
For 29.1 percent of women and 21.7 percent of men, the purpose was to maintain agility, while 18.7 percent of men and 16.3 percent of women exercised to pass free time and for fun.
The survey also found that 70 percent of Qatari children and 78 percent of non-Qatari children were enrolled in sports clubs.
Of the surveyed, 35.2 percent of the Qataris and 41 percent of non-Qataris spent under QR1,000 on sports equipment.
QSA will mark the National Sport Day with activities to educate the public. It will host a dietitian from Aspire to discuss the best ways to stay in shape through meals one usually eat.
The Peninsula
