India’s latest Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024 from the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has laid bare an uncomfortable truth: young Indian women are far less likely to exercise than their male peers. The survey, covering more than 4.5 lakh people, shows just 3.9 per cent of women aged 15–29 engage in daily sports or exercise, compared to 14.8 per cent of men. That difference of 18 minutes might not sound huge in a single day — but over weeks, months, years, it adds up significantly in terms of health benefits.What’s striking is that this survey also shows time spent on culture, leisure, mass‑media and sports increased for both genders. But the increase hasn’t closed the gap. Women, especially younger ones, still face several unique hurdles.
Root Causes: Time, Norms, and Invisible Loads
1. Domestic responsibility big chunk of the difference comes from unpaid domestic and caregiving work. The survey shows that women aged 15‑59 spend about 305 minutes per day on unpaid domestic services; men spend significantly less. Caregiving also takes up a lot more of women’s time. When the day is consumed by responsibilities at home, the energy, time, and sometimes even motivation to work out get pushed aside.
2. Safety, access, and what people expect: A lot of young women say they worry about safety or that they don’t have places to work out, or that people judge them. It can be tough or scary to be outside at certain times, go to gyms, or just jog in parks. Often, people think women should focus on school or family instead of working out.
3. Not seeing people to look up to or getting cheers: Boys usually have a leg up when it comes to sports. Parents and schools often tell them to play and work out. Girls don’t always get the same boost, and there aren’t as many places or programs for them. Once you get into habits, you usually stick with them, so it’s good to start early.
Why All This Matters for Your Health
This is pretty big. Working out can keep you from getting too heavy, having heart issues or diabetes, and feeling down. If you’re a young woman, doing workouts helps with your hormones, makes you feel good about your body, and just keeps you healthy. If there’s a big gap in activity, diseases that could have been stopped can hit women harder.
If women skip working out for too long, it’s like falling behind on fitness. If you don’t get into good habits early, it can be tougher later, especially when you’re busier.
What People Say
People’s experiences back up the data. A college student in Kolkata said: After class and helping at home, I only get an hour before dark. Walking alone still feels unsafe, though. In smaller towns, girls lose time as they grow up because families expect them to do more chores. Sports fields or gyms might be far away or feel unwelcoming to women.
These aren’t just random stories they reflect nationwide trends, regardless of age or income.
What Can We Do?
To close the fitness gap between men and women, India could try these ideas:
1. **Safer, better spaces:** More parks with good lighting, women-only workout areas or times, and easily reachable gyms.
2. **School/community programs:** Make sports and gym class a priority and include everybody. Support local clubs in finding female coaches.
3. **Motivation and action:** Government programs to get women into sports, like affordable fitness classes or awards for women athletes.
4. **Spread the word and shift views:** Campaigns showing successful women athletes, conveying that women need workouts, and it’s not a luxury. Supportive families and communities make a big difference.
What’s Next
The TUS 2024 numbers tell us what’s wrong and what we need to do. The numbers say it all: young women in India aren’t working out as much, partly because they’re busy and partly because things aren’t set up to make working out easy, safe, and normal for them.
Closing the fitness gap won’t happen super-fast. But if we have good plans, put money into action, get the community behind us, and change how we think, we can get started now. If young women have the chance, get cheered on, and have a place to move, jog, stretch, and get strong, good things will come: people will be healthier, communities will be stronger, and the country will care more about everyone being treated the same.
