Majority of young Swiss well-trained, army fitness test reveals

More than half of young Swiss men and women are considered well-trained, with around 80% meeting the federal government’s exercise recommendations, according to the Armed Forces 2023 fitness test.

The test results indicate that anyone who engages in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of intense exercise per week is deemed sufficiently active. Only 4.7% of those tested are considered inactive, the army announced on Monday.

In 2022, 52.8% of young people were classified as well-trained, a figure that has risen to 55.3% in 2023. Over the past three years, the proportion of well-trained young people has increased by 6%, though the reasons for this rise remain unclear.

The data also show a slight increase in the proportion of overweight conscripts, reflecting a broader societal trend, according to the army.

The fitness test comprises five exercises: standing long jump, medicine ball throw, trunk strength test, one-leg stand and endurance run. The evaluation is based on data from 34,343 young people, including 642 women.