The two pie charts compare the proportions of European adults who engaged in various leisure activities in 1985 and 1995.
Overall, while watching TV remained the most common activity, significant changes occurred in other categories, particularly the sharp rise in computer games and the decline in family conversations and eating out.
In 1985, watching TV, which accounted for 32%, was by far the most popular activity. It was followed by eating out at 23% and talking with friends at 21%. Talking with family made up 18%, whereas only 6% of people chose other activities.
By 1995, the pattern had changed considerably. Watching TV fell slightly to 30%, but it continued to be the top choice. Having appeared for the first time, playing computer games became the second most popular activity, representing 27%. Talking with friends also grew, rising to 26%, while talking with family experienced a dramatic fall, dropping to just 7%. Similarly, eating out saw a significant decrease to 8%, and other activities declined to only 2%.