TAIPEI: People in Taiwan are slowly catching on to healthy living by picking up the exercise habit.

The number of people in Taiwan who exercise regularly jogged up to 55.8 percent of the population in 2008, up from 51.5 percent in the previous year, according to a survey conducted by the Bureau of Health Protection (BHP).

The survey, released yesterday and carried out among 16,901 people aged 18 and older, was intended as a monitor on health practices and risk factors among the population, according to Tsai Chun-yu, a BHP section chief.

On average, the 55.8 percent of people who said they had exercised in the previous two weeks said they worked out for 68 minutes a day, 3.6 days a week, Tsai said.

However, the remaining 44 percent of respondents had no exercise regimen, the poll showed.

The results of another survey conducted in 2005 revealed that walking was the most popular exercise, with 42 percent of the respondents indicating that this was their mode of exercise, Tsai said.

Jogging was preferred by 17 percent of respondents, mountain hiking by 12 percent, calisthenics by 10 percent and cycling by 9.38 percent, she said.

Based on the results, the BHP estimated that at least 950,000 people ride bicycles for exercise, Tsai said.

According to Tsai, cycling burns as many as calories as walking.

For a woman who weighs 55 kg, cycling for 60 minutes can burn 155kcal to 247 kcal depending on the speed at which she is riding, she added.

As cycling has become increasingly popular in recent years, the BHP reminded the public of the importance of wearing helmets when riding bicycles. In the event of an accident, the risk of death is 12 percent higher if helmets are not worn, and the risk of severe injuries is 27 percent higher, the bureau said.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 07/17/2009 page2)