People in Yorkshire exercise for just two hours a week with 26% saying they took no exercise at all, according to a survey.

They are spending an average of 37 hours a week sat on the sofa, which is more time than they spend at work (average of 34 hours) and almost as much time as they spend sleeping (45 hours), revealed the survey, published as part of a Great Outdoors campaign, a push to get the nation outside and active.

Fusion Lifestyle, a registered charity dedicated to providing accessible and affordable fitness and leisure facilities to all, gathered the information.

The charity asked people what would get them off the sofa and out of the house? A total of 15% said a good variety of organised outdoor activities near them would make them exercise outdoors more, and 19% would get up off the sofa if they had friends to exercise with in a group.

Nearly a third of those questioned said they had met new friends and 9% had met partners through exercise.

Penny Arnold, commercial and operations director at Fusion, said: “As summer is in full swing it’s the perfect time to get off the sofa, get fit, get healthy, and get outdoors. Even if you live in a built-up area or a city, there is always somewhere you can go to enjoy the outdoors – there are fantastic lidos, parks and outdoor centres that are on your doorstep.”

Charlie Webster – television host, campaigner and sports enthusiast – said: “Sitting on a sofa for half of our lives certainly means we aren’t fulfilling our potential and experiencing life. Exercise has so many physical and mental benefits, exercising outdoors has even more.

“It can make a huge difference to our mental health, increase our energy, make us feel revitalised, release stress, help with depression and anxiety, and boosts self-esteem.

“In my opinion exercising outside is the best and most under-rated therapy on the market!”