386

News

Corona has significantly impacted physical activity in Denmark

Christian Wenande
December 21st, 2021


This article is more than 3 years old.

New report showed that the pandemic has adversely affected the sports and exercise habits of every second adult over the past year

More people are exercise along now (photo: Pixabay)

According to a new survey, the COVID-19 pandemic has had quite the negative effect when it comes to the public’s sports and exercise habits.

The report, compiled by DGI and DIF, showed that over half (55 percent) of the 21,000 respondents had been less physically active over the past year, particularly those under 40 and people who are getting an education.

“We know that physical activity in active communities have an immense impact on physical, social and mental health, so it’s deeply concerning that over half have become less active,” said DGI head, Charlotte Bach Thomassen.

READ ALSO: Danish News Round-Up: How active is your municipality?

Exercising more alone
The annually-produced report further revealed that 59 percent of respondents said they did some form of physical exercise in May 2021, compared to 61 percent before the pandemic. 

Another aspect of the survey showed that 18 percent of respondents said they had become more active due to the pandemic.

A further 48 percent said they had become less active in sports clubs over the past year, while 43 percent indicated that they had exercised more alone compared to usual. 

“In the long run, we need to get everyone active again like they were before COVID-19,” said Thomas Bach, the deputy head of DIF. 

“And they need to bring their friends, neighbours and family members along so Denmark can become the world’s most active population.”


Share

Most popular

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive The Daily Post

















Latest Podcast

A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”