New study shows Glasgow is Scotland’s third fittest city

A new study has revealed Glasgow is the third fittest city in Scotland, though ranks 52nd across the UK.

Paul Jenkins, founder of DNA Lean, worked with his team to rank British cities in order of fitness – using factors such as the percentage of active adults, how often locals are walking or cycling, and the number of gyms and leisure centres in the area.

The study comes after an Active Lives Survey showed a 1.9% decline in activity amongst adults in 2021, thought to be exacerbated by the pandemic.

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The study ranked Perth as the most fit city in Scotland, with Stirling coming in second – just after Glasgow.

Looking at the whole of the UK, Perth ranked 16th while Glasgow was further down at 52. Inverness came in just below Glasgow.

Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh came 56th, 57th and 58th respectively.

We spoke to Paul, who gave us an insight into the study and some of the causes behind different cities’ placings.

He said: “I’m not going to say that we’re absolutely right, and further research would definitely be needed – but what we have found is that two crucial factors are expendable income and green spaces.

“Without being too familiar with Scotland, I’m theorising that Perth probably has more income and green spaces. I’m not saying there aren’t any other factors, but those are very significant.

“We used credible data from the Scottish Government, Scottish Health Survey and the Office of National Statistics.

“That being said, our answers aren’t absolute and it would depend on the methodology used.”

Aside from income and green spaces, Paul also believes that the lockdown has had lasting effects on activity levels.

He added: “If you look at World Health Organisation information when it comes to mental health, gym closures and not having access to parks for a while really took a toll on people’s minds.

“The effects haven’t just gone away. We surveyed independent gym owners and many of them told us of gym users who had taken their own lives after a decline in mental health due to closures.

“People are still afraid to leave the house. It’s impossible to ever know for sure how much, but it’s definitely a contributing factor.”

We asked Paul what he thought the solution to declining activity was. He suggested: “Education. Not just from a physiological point of view, but more on the mental side of exercise. How people can use it to benefit all parts of their life.

“Many just see exercise as a tool to stay fit, but it’s much more than that. As well, many areas are lacking in facilities that are accessible for a wide range of people.”

The full study can be found here.

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