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Survey: 65% of Finns want to exercise more and among young adults, the figure is even higher

According to a survey commissioned by Thril, Finns would clearly like to be more physically active than they currently are. The research found that six in ten respondents wish they had more exercise in their daily lives — yet 40% exercise less than once or twice a week.

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Thril

22 Jun 2026
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One thousand Finns responded to Thril’s survey in spring 2026 on their exercise habits. The results reveal a clear gap between the desire to move and actually doing so.

27% of respondents said they exercise only one or two days a week, and nearly 13% exercise less than once a week. Eight percent don’t exercise at all.

Yet 65% of Finns say they would like to exercise more. The most common motivators are maintaining physical fitness (73%), promoting health (72%), spending time outdoors in nature (60%), and managing mood and stress (54%).

”It’s great to see how much Finns value exercise as part of their daily lives, but at the same time, it’s unfortunate to note how few of us feel we get enough of it,” says Juuso Hirsimäki, co-founder and CEO of Thril.

The desire to exercise more is especially pronounced among young adults. Nearly 80% of 35–44-year-olds say they would like to be more physically active — with fatigue and lack of time cited as the biggest barriers in this age group.

”The busy years of life are certainly a factor for this age group, but I still believe there are ways to exercise that fit every life situation, they just need to be easier to find in the middle of a hectic everyday,”
Juuso Hirsimäki.

Young adults’ energy levels are taking a toll on exercise

Among 18–34-year-olds, low energy is a significant reason for limited physical activity. Nearly 60% of young adults say fatigue reduces how much they exercise.

”Almost 60% of 18–24 and 25–34-year-olds say tiredness or lack of energy stops them from exercising more. That’s something I find genuinely concerning, especially since young people also see sports and exercise as a great way to meet friends and new people,” says Hirsimäki.

”And of course we also know that exercise supports mental health and improves work capacity, among other things. That’s why it’s so important that as many Finns as possible get to exercise enough, especially when the will is already there,” he continues.

The survey on Finnish exercise habits was conducted by Eija Salonen as part of Bilendi’s Omnibus consumer panel in April 2026, with one thousand (1,000) adult Finns responding. The survey was commissioned by Sportribe Oy.