Half of Austrians consider themselves sporty. In a recent survey, 41 percent rated themselves as “fair” and seven percent as “very athletic.” The other half, on the other hand, turned out to be unsportsmanlike.
Hiking, mountaineering and climbing came first for sporting activities at 38 percent. Cycling and mountain biking follow in second place at 35 percent, closely followed by swimming at 34 percent. ‘Swimming’ more or less means ‘staying in the water’. “They are not all competitive swimmers,” says study author Alexander Zeh of the IPSOS Institute, which conducted the study among 1,000 participants on behalf of Helvetia Insurance.
Most people exercise two to four times a week
Of those who consider themselves sporty, 50 percent exercised two to four times a week, and 20 percent exercised once a week. Another 20 percent performed their activity five or more times.
Winter mountain disciplines such as skiing or snowboarding were mentioned by 17 percent. “The Austrians also fulfill the widespread cliché. In the country of the mountains, these are also often used for sporting recreation – in all seasons,” Zeh continues. 16 percent of respondents did not practice any regular sporting activity.
Children love their bikes
The results were different among children: cycling came first (18 percent), followed by swimming (17 percent) and football (14 percent).
Security is finally playing a bigger role
Safety concerns in sports are now widespread. “Almost two-thirds take precautions to prevent accidents every time or very often – whether it is protective equipment such as helmets or safety equipment,” explains the study author. The accident figures for Austria show how important this protective equipment is. Every year, at least 160,000 sports accidents occur that require hospital treatment. “Especially the group of young and ‘young at heart’ men is willing to take risks. Here, overestimation of oneself and often a lack of physical fitness are the causes of the accident,” says KFV director Christian Schimanofsky.
Andreas Gruber, Director of Property-Casualty at Helvetia, pointed out during Tuesday’s presentation that 43 percent of respondents assumed that their health insurance would cover the follow-up costs of sports accidents. “However, this only concerns acute medical care. All long-term consequences and all costs other than medical treatment in the hospital or at the doctor’s office are not automatically included,” says Gruber.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
