A national poll of 2,235 UK adults commissioned by Virgin Active, the largest health club operator of its kind in the UK, reveals that one in five adults are spending over 30 hours a week on their sofa. The results have sparked fears that the British public is spending too much time on the sofa, which could result in what Virgin Active has identified as 'Sofa Bottom Syndrome'. This condition affects postural muscles and can lead to a host of posture-related health and back problems.
Christian Mason, head of fitness at Virgin Active, comments: "Considering that many people have desk jobs, which require them to sit for seven to eight hours a day, it is alarming that by factoring in sofa time as well, a vast number of British adults will spend a total of 63 waking hours a week sitting down." This does not even take into account a morning commute in the car or meal times, so this may still be a conservative estimate. These individuals are prime candidates for extreme Sofa Bottom Sydrome, bearing in mind that symptoms start to become apparent when an individual spends more than 30 hours a week on the sofa, with little other exercise.
Sofa time is mainly dedicated to channel surfing, watching DVD's, and playing video games.
The overall findings show that of the 2,235 GB adults polled:
1) One in five adults spend over 30 hours a week on their sofa.
2) The average adult spends 23 hours a week on their sofa.
3) 50% spend between 14-21 hours on their sofas each week.
4) Only 5% don't spend any time on their sofa each week.
5) The biggest culprits for spending prolonged periods of time on the sofa reside in Scotland, where over 20% of Scots polled spend over four hours a day on their sofas
6) 47% of those polled in the North of England spend two to three hours on their sofas each day
7) Adults in the South are clearly quite active, as they only spend an average of 16 hours 6 minutes on their sofas each week whilst those in the Midlands and Wales spend the least time, with 15 hours and 24 minutes on their average Sofa Sitting Time Scale
7) Women spend more time on their sofas than men, racking up a national average of 17 hours and 54 minutes each week, which is over an hour more than men, who follow close behind with a national average of 16 hours and 42 minutes.
8) Those aged 55 and over are most likely to spend prolonged periods on the sofa each week, admitting to 18 hours per week on average. The next biggest age group is aged 45-54 who devotes an average of 17 hours and 6 minutes a week to their sofas.
9) Alarmingly, the third biggest group of self-confessed couch potatoes is aged 18-24, spending an average of 16 hours and 54 minutes a week on the sofa.
10) According to the YouGov poll, the age group that spends the least amount of time on the sofa is aged 35-44, coming in at 16 hours and 24 minutes per week.
So can anything be done to shift the population back onto their feet? Mason explains: "By devoting just 10% of the time you normally spend cultivating a Sofa Bottom each week to being active, you can noticeably improve your muscle tone and fitness levels. It's easy for postural muscles to sag when you spend too much time sitting down. By introducing even a small amount of exercise into your life - such as walking, you can help reverse the telltale signs of laziness! Of course, rest is also essential, just don't fall into the habit of wasting 30 hours a week immobile on the sofa!"
If you are not sure what your own weekly sofa time total is, then answer the following 10 questions to identify whether you are a couch potato!
1) Signal failure with Sky sends you in to a frenzied panic?
2) Your friends consistently buy you TV Box sets for your birthday?
3) Your favourite takeaway delivery services is on speed dial - ahead of your family?
4) You've visited QVC more than you've been to the supermarket?
5) You know who Lucy Bill, Michelle Connor and Marlon Dingle are, and you actually consider them to be real friends?
6) You have a three-in-one remote control that never leaves your lap?
7) You have developed RSI in your thumb?
8) Your fridge is within reach of your sofa?
9) Your sofa accumulates so much change that you consider it a personal banking system?
10) You have missed important social events because you were watching television?
In recognition of Sofa Bottom Syndrome and Virgin Active's commitment to tackling this growing social problem, the innovative health club operator is launching a new workout class called the 'Sofa Bottom Workout', available in all 71 Virgin Active health clubs across the UK, from 17th September 2007. Virgin Active is also compiling secret Sofa SWAT teams to get the nation moving, which will be visiting regions where Sofa Bottom Syndrome is rife...