City runs up the 'fitness capital' of Britain title

EDINBURGH has been branded the "fitness capital" of the UK after a survey found more people exercise in the city than anywhere else in the country.

The poll found that 42.7 per cent of people in the Capital actively take regular exercise in a bid to improve the quality of their lives – the highest percentage in the UK, and significantly higher than the national average of 34.2 per cent.

The research, carried out by probiotic drinks company Yakult, also found that residents of the city are more likely to make an effort to limit alcohol consumption and eat healthily in order to give themselves better lives.

However, the one key "health and happiness" step taken was quality time spent with friends and loved ones, with 62.1 per cent of people in Edinburgh singling this out as important.

Commenting on the survey, life coach Denise Mortimer commented: "Taking care of ourselves by simply watching what we put in to our bodies and thinking positively can have a huge impact on our sense of wellbeing at all stages of life."