In the realm of winter recreation, residents of Moscow show a clear preference for ice skating, with 41 percent choosing it, followed by cross-country skiing at 31 percent. Residents of St. Petersburg stand out with a strong affinity for snowboarding, at 63 percent, as highlighted by a study conducted by BestDoctor in collaboration with Rosa Khutor and reviewed by socialbites.ca.
Across Russia, snowboarding leads as the favorite winter sport for more than half of the population, accounting for 54 percent. Cross-country and alpine skiing share the next spot with 25 percent, while ice skating attracts 19 percent of respondents. Hockey remains the least popular among Russians, chosen by only 2 percent.
Regional nuances appear clearly. In Moscow, snowboarding appeals to a quarter of residents, whereas in St. Petersburg the appeal is much stronger, with 63 percent favoring snowboarding over other winter activities. The city’s residents also show interest in cross-country and alpine skiing at 29 percent, with 6 percent preferring ice skating and 2 percent hockey.
The survey also explored why people participate in winter sports. A significant 29 percent report that these activities help maintain physical fitness. Another 27 percent see winter sports as an enjoyable form of entertainment during the cold season.
Health-minded behavior is common as well, with 22 percent saying they engage in winter sports to take care of their health. The activities are also valued for stress relief and emotional well-being, cited by 15 percent of respondents.
Experts emphasize that exercising outdoors in winter goes beyond simple physical activity. It supports fat burning and builds resilience. The process of keeping the body warm in cold weather boosts metabolism, leading to extra calorie expenditure. The winter environment accelerates fat burning through the activation of brown adipose tissue. A BestDoctor therapist notes that this fat-burning effect is a key reason winter exercise can aid in weight management.
Turning to skiing popularity, more than one in three Russians engage in it regularly, defined as every year or more often, amounting to about 46 percent. An additional 11 percent ski or snowboard without regularity, while another 11 percent have tried it but did not continue.
When considering alpine skiing specifically, a third of respondents—33 percent—have never tried it. Among them, 18 percent plan to give it a go next season.
Barriers to visiting ski resorts include busy schedules, cited by 37 percent, as well as the costs of air travel and accommodations at 27 percent. Health risks and concerns about injury also appear in 27 percent of responses. A smaller portion, 8 percent, prefer a quiet, lazy holiday over active sports.
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