What drives people to wake up early and head to the park? You might think it’s about fitness, discipline, or a healthy lifestyle. But according to Thyrocare founder Dr A. Velumani, the answer may lie deeper in human instinct—quite literally, hormones. In a light-hearted yet revealing post on X, the scientist-entrepreneur shared insights from a three-year self-led observational study of morning walkers in Coimbatore. And his findings are far more fascinating than your average health report.
Dr Velumani revealed that over the past three years, he walked over 500 kilometres across 100 different mornings in three parks around Coimbatore—not just for fitness, but also to study who shows up for a walk and why. His informal research classified morning park-goers into three major categories, each with its own motivations and compulsions.
The Fitness-First Few
About 20% of people fell into this category—across all age groups—engaged in fast walking or running. According to Dr Velumani, these individuals were typically goal-driven, striving for fitness, guided by a “compulsion of looks.” For them, appearance and health seemed to be the strongest motivators.
The Health-Conscious Majority
A striking 50% of park-goers were in the 40-plus age group. Their walks were slower, more deliberate. The primary reason? Managing diabetes. Dr Velumani noted that this group walked not out of desire but necessity, driven by “the compulsion of hormones”—a reference to hormonal imbalances and lifestyle diseases forcing them into routine exercise.
The Lovebirds
The most unexpected of all was the third group: about 30%, aged between 18 to 22, who were not really walking at all. These young couples were largely spotted sitting together. Their motivation, said Velumani, was simply to “have a good time”—again, courtesy of hormonal compulsion. He humorously pointed out that some teens even brought along breakfast, packed before 7 a.m., raising questions about who was helping them prepare for these romantic rendezvous.
Dr Velumani’s tongue-in-cheek conclusion? Nearly 80% of people in parks are driven not by health or discipline, but by hormones. His observation paints a striking picture of modern urban behaviour, where parks serve as much for emotional release and social interaction as they do for fitness.
Dr Velumani revealed that over the past three years, he walked over 500 kilometres across 100 different mornings in three parks around Coimbatore—not just for fitness, but also to study who shows up for a walk and why. His informal research classified morning park-goers into three major categories, each with its own motivations and compulsions.
The Fitness-First Few
About 20% of people fell into this category—across all age groups—engaged in fast walking or running. According to Dr Velumani, these individuals were typically goal-driven, striving for fitness, guided by a “compulsion of looks.” For them, appearance and health seemed to be the strongest motivators.
The Health-Conscious Majority
A striking 50% of park-goers were in the 40-plus age group. Their walks were slower, more deliberate. The primary reason? Managing diabetes. Dr Velumani noted that this group walked not out of desire but necessity, driven by “the compulsion of hormones”—a reference to hormonal imbalances and lifestyle diseases forcing them into routine exercise.
Have walked 500 kms in 3 different locations in Coimbatore in 100 different days over last 3 years.
— Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) July 12, 2025
Kept on studying who walks in Morning and why.
3 Major categories.
1. Around 20%. All ages. Largely fast walking or running. Goal is fitness. Compulsion Looks.
2. Around…
The Lovebirds
The most unexpected of all was the third group: about 30%, aged between 18 to 22, who were not really walking at all. These young couples were largely spotted sitting together. Their motivation, said Velumani, was simply to “have a good time”—again, courtesy of hormonal compulsion. He humorously pointed out that some teens even brought along breakfast, packed before 7 a.m., raising questions about who was helping them prepare for these romantic rendezvous.
Dr Velumani’s tongue-in-cheek conclusion? Nearly 80% of people in parks are driven not by health or discipline, but by hormones. His observation paints a striking picture of modern urban behaviour, where parks serve as much for emotional release and social interaction as they do for fitness.
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