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Wealthy Londoners among the laziest
Sophie Goodchild, Health Editor11 Apr 2008
Affluent Londoners are among the laziest in the capital, according to a survey conducted for the Evening Standard on the eve of the Flora London Marathon.
A league table of the capital's "lazy" wards is topped by South Sutton, where more than half of adults do not take any exercise.
But even in wealthier areas many residents never do any physical activity, despite gym membership being easily affordable on their salaries.
Bayswater and Hyde Park both feature in the top 20 areas with the highest proportions of people who do not take any exercise.
The ward with the highest ratio of fitness fanatics is Cann Hall in Waltham Forest, where nearly twothirds of adults say they exercise.
Other "healthy" areas include Plaistow South in Newham and Northumberland Park in Haringey.
But at least 14 wards fall well below the London average, according to the survey conducted by data analysts CACI.
CACI director Ian Thurman said the findings should act as a "call to action for people to get fitter".
Official advice is for adults to take part in at least three half-hour sessions of exercise a week.
Ministers are under pressure to cut rising rates of obesity among adults and children.
Experts have warned the NHS faces an intolerable burden from "fat-related" ill-health unless people are encouraged to shape up.
Research published yesterday showed that regular exercise can put ageing on hold for up to 12 years.
Other studies have shown that regular activity cuts the risk of a range of health problems, including diabetes, depression and heart disease, as well as reducing the chances of premature death from an illness.
