Exercise and health habits survey: Tuusula residents feel good about their health
Almost three-quarters of Tuusula residents who responded to a survey on exercise and health habits among adults report feeling well. Nearly half of respondents say they exercise in accordance with all adult exercise recommendations. However, the amount of time spent sitting has increased; more than one-fifth of respondents sit for significantly longer than recommended each day.
The majority (74%) of respondents in Tuusula feel that they are in good health, and only 0.4% of respondents feel that they are in very poor health. Leisure activities were considered important for personal well-being and were ranked among the top three factors alongside physical health and social relationships.
Exercise recommendations are being implemented by more and more people
The recommended amount of exercise for adults is at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of brisk exercise or 1 hour and 15 minutes of strenuous exercise per week. In addition, you should engage in muscle conditioning and movement control exercises at least twice a week.
Based on the survey, the exercise recommendations are being implemented reasonably well among the adult population of Tuusula. Nearly half (48%) of the respondents were implementing the exercise recommendations in all respects. Only 9% of the respondents were not implementing the recommendations in any respect.
It is particularly pleasing that physical activity among adults in Tuusula has continued to increase. The number of people meeting the physical activity recommendations has grown by well over a third during the survey period.
More sitting than ever before
Excessive sitting is harmful to health, and the recommended maximum amount of sitting per day is seven hours. According to the survey results, nearly 22% of respondents sit for more than eight hours a day.
The number of people sitting for more than seven hours a day has clearly increased. The number of people under the age of 35 who sit for more than eight hours a day has almost doubled since 2019, and now more than a third of young adults sit for more than eight hours a day.
You should take breaks from sitting for long periods whenever possible. Even a short break to stretch, walk around or simply stand up can be beneficial.
Everyday exercise is important for health
The most common form of exercise among respondents is everyday physical activity. As many as 77% said they exercise regularly in their daily lives, for example by walking or cycling. All everyday physical activity is beneficial to health, whether it is going to the shops, walking the dog or gardening.
Fitness and outdoor exercise are also practised relatively regularly in Tuusula, and the proportion of people engaging in these forms of exercise has increased slightly from previous years. However, 27% of respondents do not engage in fitness activities at all or only do so occasionally. Fitness activities include going to the gym, attending guided exercise classes and playing ball games.
Increased amount of sleep, eating habits are considered healthy
The need for sleep is somewhat individual, but 7–9 hours of sleep per day is generally recommended. Just over a third of the adults surveyed responded that they sleep seven hours or less. However, according to their estimates, the number of people sleeping more than seven hours a day has increased in Tuusula compared to previous years.
More than a third (36%) of respondents still experience stress on a daily or weekly basis.
The majority of respondents felt that they ate healthily, either by following nutritional recommendations or by following a diet that suited them. Approximately 15% of all age groups felt that there was room for improvement in their eating habits.
Experiences of barriers to mobility have decreased
The most common barrier to physical activity is lack of time. The exception is people over 65, for whom health reasons were the most common barrier. On a positive note, the barriers to physical activity experienced by respondents have decreased from previous years.
Tuusula will continue to focus on equality and accessibility in sports facilities and services in the coming years. The goal is for everyone to find their own way to exercise.
Outdoor exercise opportunities are valued
Overall, respondents were fairly satisfied with the conditions and locations for physical activity. In terms of pulling and holding power, respondents considered the surroundings of Lake Tuusula, the sports centre and natural forest areas to be important factors. In particular, the preservation of the local natural environment was considered important for well-being in the open responses.
Overall, respondents were fairly satisfied with municipal sports services. Approximately two out of three (67%) gave sports services a school grade of 8–10. Based on the responses, there is room for improvement in the communication and information provided by sports services. Suggestions for improvement were received particularly in relation to sports facilities; respondents wanted more and more diverse local sports facilities and municipal gyms throughout the municipality.
Survey now for the third time
A survey on the exercise and health habits of the adult population was conducted in Tuusula between 11 March and 6 April 2025. The survey was conducted online, but it was also possible to respond to it on paper at the TuusInfo customer service point in Hyrylä.
Similar surveys were conducted in Tuusula in 2019 and 2023. The monitoring data produced by the survey is used in the development of Tuusula’s leisure services and as background material for the municipality’s well-being report. A total of 475 people responded to this year’s survey.
This content has been translated using AI