Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey 2016

Key findings:

·       Indians spend only 20% of their time in a day walking  

·       Of professionals, 44% of private employees sit throughout the day as against 33% Government employees

·       Mumbai workforce sits the most, with pvt employees (47%) sitting more than govt employees (34%)

·       Pollution emerges as a key barrier to walking among Indians (16%)

·       60% of people who walk reported improved lung health, 35% feel walking makes them happier

·       12% of housewives don’t walk because they feel unsafe and insecure

·       18% of non-walkers suffer from blood pressure, 15% from back problems

Delhi/Mumbai, February X, 2016: Indians spend most of their time sitting as against being active, reveals Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey 2016, a first of its kind study of over 1300 walkers across 4 cities, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Jaipur.

According to the survey, 34% of Indians sit throughout the day while only 20% spend time walking. Of the working population, 38% spends time sitting.

The survey revealed pollution as a key deterrent to walking with 16% Indians not walking regularly due to rising pollution levels. Across age group, Indians in the age bracket of 46-54 years cite pollution as the biggest reason to not walk. Women (20%) are more affected by pollution than men (13%) when it comes to walking. Among the four cities, Pune (42%) tops the chart followed by Mumbai (39%), Delhi (27%) and Jaipur (27%).

For professionals long work hours emerge as the biggest barrier to walking. While long office hours stop Delhi (27%) and Mumbai (25%) employees from walking, Pune employees (24%) walk only on weekends while Jaipur employees (26%) do not walk regularly. Long working hours also emerge as impediment towards walking for working women (26%), while 15% of housewives would prefer dieting to walking and 12% of housewives don’t walk because they feel unsafe and insecure. Interestingly, of all professionals who walk, government employees (90%) walk more as compared to private employees (74%). Besides, usage of gadgets and apps is high in pvt workforce (55%) but govt employees not far (47%).

However, majority of respondents (78%) feel walking helps lifestyle disease. Most of the housewives (82%) and working women (92%) respondents believe walking can help combat lifestyle related diseases. According to the survey, 60% of walkers have revealed improved lung health and feel that walking helps with weight loss and 35% feel walking makes them happier and helps reduce stress.

High tendency to sit among Indians is leading to multitude of lifestyle diseases like obesity, blood pressure, back problems and weak eyesight. The survey shows of people who do not walk, 18% suffer from blood pressure, followed by back problems (15%), weak eyesight (14%) and body weakness (12%).  Obesity emerged as the prime disease affecting housewives who don’t walk (14%) followed by anemia (11%), while working women who don’t walk suffer from weak eye sight (21%). Surprisingly, non-walkers rate their health as ‘very good’ (40%) in spite of host of health issues.

Of the total respondents, 38% students walk for healthy lungs, 40% retired population walk for a good heart and 34% professionals walk for overall health. Across cities, while Mumbai (42%) walks for healthy lung,s Delhi (47%), Pune (38%) and Jaipur (33%) walk for good heart.

Interestingly, walking has emerged as the most preferred form of exercise across all age groups, sections of society and even among professionals (70% of all respondents).  According to the survey, 74% Mumbaikers and 73% Delhites prefer walking over other exercises with Pune being the third with 65%. While Delhi (47%), Mumbai (38%) and Jaipur (32%) walk for a good heart, Pune (38%) walks to lose weight. Although all 4 cities walk for almost 3km regularly, Jaipur with 83% emerges as the highest (Delhi -75%, Mumbai – 69%, Pune – 77%). While 37% of India walks for good lungs, young India walks for better lifestyle and older age group walks for good health. Again, 49% housewives feel walking helps reduce weight as compared to 39% of working women. 54% of housewives feel walking is good for heart while 27% of housewives walk to reduce stress. According to the findings, 44% of housewives started walking post getting diagnosed with lifestyle diseases like blood pressure, sugar etc.

The survey reiterates the multiple health benefits of a simple exercise like walking that Max Bupa has taken upon itself to drive across the country through its first of its kind health initiative, Max Bupa Walk for Health. The initiative aims to encourage people to integrate walking into their daily schedule. Buoyed by the participation of more than 60,000 people in the three editions of Max Bupa Walk for Health, the fourth edition of Max Bupa Walk for Health is a first of its kind four-city walk. Joining the cause and leading the walking movement are noted Indian Olympic Walkers, namely, Manish Rawat, Sandeep Kumar, Gurpreet Singh and Khushbir Kaur. With the support of these noted Olympians, Max Bupa aims to successfully mobilized 30,000 families across various cities, towns and villages to walk more, and drive awareness about the innumerable health benefits of walking among Indians.

Ashish Mehrotra, MD and Chief Executive Officer, Max Bupa said, “Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey 2016 has revealed a most startling and alarming reality, most Indians spend time sitting. This tendency towards inaction can be intentional or professional. Either ways, it can have devastating aftermath as sitting for long hours can lead to increase in risk of diabetes, heart disease and death due to cardiovascular events. In addition, sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity which can cause cancer. A simple yet effective way of being in good health is a 30 minute walk every day which can not only rejuvenate the body but also the mind, leading to a happy and stress free life. Through Max Bupa Walk for Health I urge the people of India to take a step towards better health, adopt this simple form of exercise and help build a nation that is strong and healthy.”

“The survey shows that 68% have acknowledged the enormous effect that walking has in controlling weight and 60% of walkers feel improved lung health due to walking. 35% of the respondents feel walking makes them happier and helps reduce stress. Max Bupa Walk for Health therefore encourages people into adopting healthy habits and in taking up walking for a healthier and more productive life.” added Anika Agarwal, Head-Marketing, MaxBupa.

Note to editors:

About Max Group

Max Group is a leading Indian multi-business corporate with a commanding presence in the Life Insurance, Healthcare and Health Insurance sectors. In the financial year 2015, the Group recorded a consolidated turnover of Rs 14,877 Cr. It has a total customer base of over 7.5 million, nearly 300 offices spread across India and people strength of around 17,000 as on 31st March 2015. Max India Limited is a widely held company, listed on the BSE and the NSE. Its founder sponsor Analjit Singh holds 40.5% stake in the company. Other shareholders include some of the world’s best Institutional Investors such as Goldman Sachs, Temasek, IFC (Washington), Fidelity and New York Life.

About Bupa

Bupa’s purpose is longer, healthier, happier lives.

As a leading global health and care company, we offer health insurance, medical subscription and other health and care funding products; we run care homes, retirement and care villages, primary care, diagnostic and wellness centres, hospitals and dental clinics. We also provide workplace health services, home healthcare, health assessments and long-term condition management services.

We have 29m customers in 190 countries. With no shareholders, we reinvest our profits to provide more and better healthcare and fulfil our purpose. We employ almost 80,000 people, principally in the UK, Australia, Spain, Poland, New Zealand and Chile, as well as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India, Thailand and the USA.

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