Over one in five middle-aged Irish men take no exercise at all, a new report claims.

In news that will not surprise many Irish wives, a high number of Irish men aged 46 to 55 stop playing sport and mostly use their car to get around (and it's true of Irishmen from all economic backgrounds).

The Irish Sport Monitor Report claimed this week that physical activity among middle-aged men is heavily reliant on recreational walking.

"Given the health risks associated with physical inactivity, especially circulatory diseases, the level of sedentarism among this group of Irishmen is a matter of concern," the report claimed.

Overall, the report claims, swimming is the most popular exercise activity for Irish people, far ahead of personal training and soccer.

Irish Tourism and Sport Minister Michael Ring, who launched the Monitor report, called on Irish sporting organizations to reduce their admission prices and he said more people were walking and cycling because it was cheap.

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