The table illustrates changes in the popularity of seven main hobbies among adult residents of a small Tunisian town in 1980, 2000 and 2020, with figures indexed to a baseline of 100 in 1980.
Overall, leisure preferences shifted noticeably over the period. Screen-based entertainment, particularly watching TV and movies, became increasingly popular, while most traditional or physically active hobbies declined. Playing music was the only activity whose popularity remained unchanged.
In 1980, all hobbies were equally popular, each recorded at an index value of 100. By 2000, watching TV and movies had risen substantially to 130, making it the most popular pastime. Reading also grew, though more moderately, reaching 117. Working out saw only a slight increase to 105, while playing music remained stable at 100. In contrast, baking and gardening began to lose appeal, falling to 95 and 83 respectively. The sharpest decline at this stage was observed in video games, which dropped to 70.
These trends became more pronounced by 2020. TV and movies continued their upward trajectory, peaking at 160, far surpassing all other hobbies. Books also increased further to 133, consolidating their position as the second most popular activity. Working out rose marginally to 110, while playing music stayed constant at 100 throughout the entire period. Conversely, baking and gardening declined steadily to 90 and 67, respectively. Video games experienced the most dramatic fall overall, decreasing to just 40 by 2020.