The findings of a survey released by the Macau General Association of Chinese Students (AECM) and the Macau Youth Research Association (MYRA) yesterday show that 59 percent of local pupils and students exercise for less than 30 minutes a day, with 8 percent not exercising at all.

The groups conducted a survey of local students and pupils’ opinions on public sports facilities between February and June, collecting 918 valid questionnaires from 17 secondary schools and tertiary education institutions.

The groups released the findings during a press conference at an AECM-run youth centre in Areia Preta yesterday.

According to the findings, only 41 percent do exercise for over half an hour on average per day. The most popular activities among respondents are jogging and walking, chosen by 58 percent as their main exercise. Ball sports and dancing are the respondents’ second and third favourites, chosen by 15 percent and 7 percent respectively.

The findings show that only 15 percent said they often use public sport facilities, while 72 percent said they seldom use them and 13
percent have never used them.

The most popular public sport facilities are basketball courts, badminton courts and jogging tracks, according to the findings. However, when asked which facilities need to be increased, the top three answers are cycling tracks, badminton courts and water sports facilities.

Over half of the respondents said there were not enough public sport facilities for the population, while 32 percent said the types of facility needed to be more diversified.

Some 57 percent said it took them about 15 minutes or less to reach a sport facility.

Addressing the press conference, local judoist Leong Ka In said the locations of some of the public sport facilities were inappropriate. “There’s an outdoor basketball court in Ilha Verde which sits in the middle of busy roads, which is really unhealthy for the players,” he pointed out.

Also addressing the press conference, AECM President Joe Lei Sio Chou suggested the government build more sport facilities
on the peninsula as there were not enough to serve its densely populated districts.

Lei also said that 15 minutes to reach a sport facility wasn’t “convenient enough” for local pupils and students because of their busy
schedules and the fact that most of their free time is at night.

Local judoist Leong Ka In (right), accompanied by Macau General Association of Chinese Students (AECM) President Joe Lei Sio Chou, addresses yesterday’s press conference at an AECM youth centre in Areia Preta. Photo: Annie Cheung

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