A substantial difference in the statistics of habitual participation in exercise between male and female individuals in Australia across different age groups is compared in the chart, which is based on data collected in 2010.
Overall, it is clear that females recorded higher activity levels than males across almost all age categories, with the sole exception of the 15-24 age group. Furthermore, while the highest proportion of active men was observed in the youngest cohort, the peak for women was reached in the 45-to-54 age range.
Regarding females, participation rates remained remarkably steady and were confined within a narrow range of roughly 47% to 53%. The lowest figure for women was registered in the youngest bracket (15-24) at 47.7%, after which a gradual increase was experienced, peaking at 53.3% among those aged 45 to 54. Following this peak, a minor decline was recorded, with the percentage dropping slightly to 47.1% in the oldest age category (65 and over). In sharp contrast, much greater fluctuations were exhibited in the figures for males. Men aged 15 to 24 constituted the most active male group, with a peak of 52.8%. However, a dramatic drop was observed in subsequent years, reaching a trough of 39.5% in the 35-44 age bracket. From this point onwards, exercise rates were seen to steadily recover across older cohorts, eventually rising to 46.7% for those aged 65 and above.