A new ‘sports personality’ study from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has found that hiking is most popular in the South West, which could reveal a lot about the locals.
The analysis shows that walkers are likely to be the least materialistic, are more likely to give to charity and like their own company.
The research celebrates the launch of the BHF’s 2015 events series, which offers ‘sporting personalities’ a wide range of events to get involved in across the region and beyond.
The psychological study, conducted by Mindlab, surveyed 2000 adults across the UK and highlights that the type of sport we choose uncovers a lot about our personality traits and can reveal how charitable we are, the type of newspapers we are most likely to read and show how we will vote in the next general election.
The survey also revealed that almost half (46%) of adults in the South West were keen to take on a challenge for charity, whatever their ‘sports personality’ type.
The ‘sports personalities’
| Cyclists | Runners |
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| Swimmers | Walkers (Trekkers) |
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Dr David Lewis, Neuropsychologist and founder of Mindlab, explains: “It has long been known that exercise is not only good for your body, but also your mind.
“Past research has shown that exercising can act as a mood-enhancer, can be used to treat and possibly even prevent anxiety and generally has a positive effect on mental health. The results from this study show that no matter what kind of person you are, there is the right kind of exercise for everyone.”
Olympic Heptathlete Louise Hazel, who is taking on a cycling challenge for the BHF in September, explains: “Whatever your sports personality or level of fitness I would encourage everyone to sign up to a BHF event.
“Heart disease devastates too many lives, killing over 15,000 people across the South West every year. I lost my father to heart disease, he was just 50 years old. This is why I’m taking on a cycling challenge for BHF.
“Taking on a challenge can help you to get fit, enjoy the sport you love and also help to raise funds for vital research which could help save more people like my dad.”
Tristam Jones, head of events at the BHF, adds: “This research highlights some interesting differences in the types of people who choose to take on different sports challenges. It’s great to see that so many people across the South West want to take on a challenge for charity and with so many events available for all fitness levels, there’s many ways to get invlolved and join the fight.”
To see a copy of the BHF’s latest events calendar and to sign up for a challenge visit https://www.bhf.org.uk/events
(from a press release)
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