London - Many of us have happy childhood memories of collecting stamps, making models or playing football in the park.
But according to research, these wholesome hobbies are falling out of fashion as much of the population prefers to loll in front of the telly.
A quarter of people now list their favourite pastime as watching television – compared with just five percent whose favourite is playing a team sport.
Only four percent of people in the survey, by banking group Santander, said they spend their free time practising a musical instrument, and only two percent now go fishing.
Collecting coins or stamps, a hobby which had its heyday in the 1950s, is now pursued by only two percent of people, while model-making has a following of just one percent.
Campaigners say the demise of these pastimes is indicative of a society obsessed with celebrity and reality TV. Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said: “There’s a real shift now from running around outside to watching TV.
“People have got addicted to reality TV. Television programmes are very watchable and a lot of people enjoy them.
“But it’s also easier to watch television. What depresses me is that people say they haven’t got time to do other things.”
The survey also shows that only eight percent of people visit museums. However, a third of those questioned said they like to read in their spare time – the most popular hobby of all. - Daily Mail