Fear of being laughed at is making women too scared to exercise

Leave them alone

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Judging eyes in the gym are shaming women from working out and reducing them to exercise in private.

They are concerned about being mocked for being sweaty, out of breath or struggling to keep up with their fellow gym-goers.

A report by MPs warned that women are failing to exercise regularly because they fear being laughed at while working out.

This epidemic has led to women confining themselves to bedrooms, with older women installing treadmills in sheds because they are too embarrassed to run in public.

Figures show that 68 per cent of women don’t take the recommended two and a half hours of exercise in per week, compared to only 58 per cent of men.

Experts say this lack of exercise contributes to up to one in six deaths in the UK.

The fear of judgement is especially prevalent in women who are overweight, meaning those who would benefit most from exercise are being discouraged.

A report by the Commons Health Select Committee discovered girls as young as ten skip their PE classes because they are too self-conscious. Labour MP Barbara Keeley blames this on fears about “puppy fat”.

Keeley called for a new approach to exercise for girls, as ignoring the issue could lead to “problems from obesity to low self esteem”.

Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston said: “It is unacceptable that this gender gap has been ignored for so long. We need to be out there ensuring that girls can access the type of sport they want to take part in.”