Wales Activity Tracker Survey 1 – May 2020

HOW ACTIVE ARE ADULTS IN WALES AT THIS TIME?

• Over half (51%) of adults feel that the current situation has impacted on their exercise regime.
• Older adults and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to report that their regime has been impacted.
• Over one in five adults (22%) reported that they have not done any physical activity in the past week. However, 59% say they have done activity on 3 or more days (and one in three have done activity on five or more days).
• Women are more likely to have done physical activity on 1-4 days in the past week, while men are more likely to have done exercise on five or more days.
• The findings suggest that net levels of physical activity have not shifted significantly (34% of adults say that they are doing more at this time than before the COVID-19 restrictions, while 33% say that they are doing less).
• There are however significant variations within certain demographic groups. There is a net increase in activity levels amongst those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds (+7 percentage points), however there is a net decrease amongst those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (-4 percentage points).
• Similarly, while there is a net increase in physical activity levels amongst younger adults aged 16-34 (+15 percentage points), for those aged 35-54 and 55+ there appears to be a net decrease(-2 and -5 percentage points respectively).
• Those who have done activity in the past week generally report doing more activity than in a typical week before the COVID-19 restrictions. This is true for all categories of activities reported on.

HOW ACTIVE ARE CHILDREN IN WALES AT THIS TIME?

• 9% adults report that their children are doing no physical activity or exercise on a typical day at the moment. For those from lower socio economic backgrounds the figure is 14%.
• 26% report that their children are doing more activity since the COVID-19 restrictions, while 35% report that their children are doing less. Overall this suggests a net reduction of 9 percentage points.
• Those children from lower socio economic backgrounds appear to be experiencing the greatest reductions (LOW SES: More 23% Less 36% = -13 percentage points HIGH SES: More 28% Less 35%  = -7 percentage points)

WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ARE ADULTS DOING? 

The three most popular activities at this time are:

1. Walking for leisure (59%). This form of activity is more popular with the 55+ age group.
2. Home activity/fitness/exercise (NOT online) 19%. This form of activity is most popular with 16-34 year olds.
3. Running or Jogging 14% / Home activity viewed online 14%. These forms of activity are most popular with 16-34 year olds.

• You Tube was the most popular platform for finding online workouts. Two thirds (66%) of those who did exercise classes online found them on youtube.
• 3% of those who did online classes found them through the Sport Wales website (however due to the low sample size this estimate may not be precise).
• 30% of people have done some form of home-based physical activity in the past week (and half of 16-34 year olds have done some form of home-based PA in the past week)
• Women are more likely than men to have ‘walked for leisure’, done ‘online home exercise classes’ and done ‘informal active play/games in the house or garden’. While men are more likely to have ‘cycled for leisure’ than women.

WHO ARE ADULTS BEING ACTIVE WITH?

• In most cases people are doing activity on their own. The exception here is informal active play/games in the house or garden – 42% of people who did this activity did so with other adults, and 49% did it with a child or children.
• Walking for leisure is the activity that is most likely to have been done with other adults (45% of people who walked for leisure did so with other adults). While informal active play/games is the activity that is most likely to have been done with children (49% did this activity with children).

HOW IS THE CURRENT SITUATION IMPACTING UPON ADULT VOLUNTEERING IN SPORT & PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

• 30% of adults say that they are likely to volunteer in the next 12 months to support sport and physical activity.
• Those aged 16-34 are the most likely to say that they intend to volunteer in sport and physical activity.

TO WHAT EXTENT ARE THE CURRENT CONDITIONS ENABLING OR PREVENTING SPORT & PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN WALES TO THRIVE?

Motivation & Values:

• 64% of adults in Wales say that is important for them to exercise regularly (men are more likely to than women say that it is important for them to exercise regularly).
• 62% of adults feel that it is more important to be active during the coronavirus outbreak than compared to other times (females, younger adults, and those from higher socio economic grades are more likely to report saying this).
• Two in three (67%) adults are exercising to help manage their physical health during the outbreak.
• 62% of adults are exercising to help manage their mental health during the outbreak (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this)
• 56% of adults miss the types of activities they were able to do before the outbreak (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this)
• 43% of adults have been encouraged to exercise by the Government’s guidance (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this).
• 44% of adults feel guilty about not exercising more during the outbreak (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this).

Confidence & Skills:

• 70% of adults in Wales say that they have the ability to be active (those aged over 55+ are less likely to say this).
• Almost half (48%) of adults worry about leaving the home to exercise or be active (women and younger adults are more likely to report saying this).
• 88% of adults report that they are well enough to exercise today (older adults and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to report being well enough to exercise)

Opportunity & Resources/Access:

• 69% of adults feel that they have the opportunity to be physically active (those aged 35+ are less likely to feel that they have the opportunity to be active. Men are also slightly less likely to say that they have the opportunity to be active).
• Two thirds of adults in Wales (66%) agree that they have more time now to be physically active (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this).
• Almost half of adults (49%) in Wales have found new ways to be active since the outbreak (women, younger adults and those from higher social economic grades are more likely to report saying this).
• The vast majority of adults (91%) have access to a garden or their own outdoor space that they can use for exercise (younger adults are slightly less likely to report saying this).

The Experience:

• 56% of adults in Wales find exercise enjoyable and satisfying at this time (females and those of an older age are less likely to say that they find exercise enjoyable and satisfying).
• 40% of adults do not find exercising on their own enjoyable (females, younger adults, and those from lower socio economic grades are more likely to say this).

HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO THE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOURS OF ADULTS IN ENGLAND?

The same questions were asked to adults across England over this time period (via Sport England). Here are some top-level findings that explore differences between adults in England and Wales:

• The gender divide appears to be reversed. In Wales, a greater proportion of women (36%) than men (32%) said that in the past week, they have done more exercise or physical activity compared to a typical week before Covid-19 restrictions. But in England, in this wave and most other weeks, a greater proportion of men (36%) than women (32%) said the same. It is worth nothing that differences this week are indicative rather than significant.
• Home based activity is less popular in Wales. In England, over two fifths (43%) of adults said they had done a home based activity in the past week, compared to under a third (30%) in Wales. While 17% of those in England who said they did a home activity in the past week reported doing it with a child or children. This compares to just 10% in Wales
• Adults in England appear to be more motivated to exercise. A greater proportion of English adults than Welsh adults agree that they have the ability to be physically active, it is important to exercise regularly, feel that they have the opportunity to be physically active, find exercise enjoyable and satisfying and feel guilty when don’t exercise.
• Government guidance encourages slightly more people in England than in Wales to be active. 47% of English adults say they have been encouraged to exercise by the Government’s guidance, slightly more than the 43% who say the same in Wales. This could be an interesting one to monitor given that messaging around Covid-19 is now different in England and in Wales.