The pandemic may lead to permanent adoption of healthier lifestyles by millions of people, according to research for AIG Life.

Nearly one in three adults (30%) said they plan to “definitely keep up” healthy lifestyle habits they have adopted during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Another 48% say they plan to live more healthily in the future.

The survey found that under-35s were slightly more likely at 32% to keep up health changes they have made. Among the over-55s around 29% were committed to improving their lifestyles because of Coronavirus.

The most popular health improvement cited was going on regular walks – nearly half (46%) of adults say they are walking more with the over-55s the most enthusiastic at 52%.

Some 29% of adults say they are eating more healthily and 16% have cut down on alcohol consumption.

Only 16% of people questioned said they had taken no action to improve their health during the crisis.

Most people said the biggest threat to maintaining healthy habits as Coronavirus eases is lack of time. Around one in five (18%) say they will struggle to find time to exercise once normality returns.

AIG Life has launched a free Smart Health app to offer support with fitness plans and nutrition advice. Customers and their families can get bespoke four or eight-week fitness plans as well as weekly menu plans.

Sue Helmont, marketing director at AIG Life, said: “The restrictions on daily life have been hard for all of us. But it’s a testament to people’s resilience and willingness to adapt that so many of us have taken action ourselves to improve our health and are committed to maintaining those changes when life eventually returns to something like normal.”

• Research was conducted by Consumer Intelligence with 986 adults aged 18+ in August.