Wales Activity Tracker Survey 5 – February 2022

Context

• 7% of adults are currently self-isolating. The lowest figures observed at any point in the pandemic (29% in May 2020)
• Of those adults in employment, 28% are predominantly working from home at this time. The majority of these adults (75%) were predominantly traveling to work before the pandemic.
• 82% of adults reported being well enough to exercise at this time. This is the lowest figure observed throughout the course of the pandemic (from peak of 88% in May 2020).

Participation

• 29% of adults feel that the pandemic has positively impacted their exercise regime while, 42% disagree with this statement. Men, older adults, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness are the most likely to feel that the pandemic negatively impacted their exercise regime.

During this round of the survey almost a quarter of adults of adults (24%) reported that they had undertaken activity on ‘0 days’ in the previous week. This is the highest figure observed at any point during this lifespan of this survey and is higher than the figure observed during the first national lockdown in May 2020(22%).

• The proportion of adults undertaking activity on ‘3 or more’ days is also the lowest observed throughout the course of the pandemic, with less than half of adults (47%) reporting this level of activity during this week.
• While a similar proportion of people reported taking part in ‘gym, fitness or exercise classes’, ‘online activities’ and ‘team sports’ in the previous week, other activities have witnessed a decline during this round of the survey. ‘Walking’, ‘running or jogging’, ‘home activities undertaken offline’, ‘swimming’, ‘cycling’ and ‘informal active play/games’ all witnessed the lowest rates of participation that have been observed at any point during the pandemic.
• The chart above shows the proportion of adults that undertook an activity in the previous week, compared to the proportion that undertook an activity regularly in the previous three months. For all activities the proportion undertaken regularly in the previous three months is higher. This suggests that activity levels during the survey week were not representative of the previous three months and may be a reflection of the adverse weather conditions experienced during this week as a result of Storm Eunice.
• 36% adults reported using an indoor facility in the previous week. This is an increase from the 22% observed in October 2020, and the 32% observed in August 2021. Older adults and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to have used an indoor facility.
• 19% of adults had used an indoor gym or fitness centre in the previous week. This is an increase from the 12% observed in October 2020, and the 17% observed in August 2021. Older adults and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were less likely to have used an indoor gym or fitness centre.
• 16% of adults had used an indoor swimming pool in the previous week. This is an increase from the 9% observed in October 2020, and the 15% observed in August 2021. Older adults were less likely to have reported using a swimming pool.

Volunteering

• 12% of adults say that they are currently volunteering in sport and physical activity. Younger adults and those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be volunteering in sport and physical activity than theircounterparts.
• 6% of adults say that they have currently stopped or paused their volunteering in sport due to the COVID-19pandemic.
• 31% of adults say that they intend to volunteer to support sport and physical activity in the next twelvemonths.

Motivation & Values

• Two thirds of adults (67%) say that it is important for them to exercise regularly. This figure has remained relatively consistent over the course of the pandemic. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a long-standing condition or illness are less likely to say this. Unsurprisingly adults that say it is important for them to exercise regularly are also more likely to be active.
• 22% of adults say that they have been encouraged to exercise by government guidance. This figure has steadily declined since May 2020 when the figure was 43%, almost double the current figure. Men, younger adults, those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness are more likely to say this.
• ‘Walking’ (75%), ‘swimming’ (36%), ‘cycling’ (28%), ‘gym, fitness or exercise classes’ (26%) and ‘running/jogging’ (24%) were the activities which adults were most likely to say they would like to do regularly in the future.
• Across all activities (where sample sizes permitted) adults from higher socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to say that they would like to do the activity in future, compared to those from lower socio economic backgrounds.
• Men were more likely than women to say that they would like to do team sports, cycling, running/jogging and golf. While women were more likely than men to say that they would like to do walking, home activities online, swimming and attend the gym/fitness classes.
• For almost all activities (where sample size permitted) younger adults were more likely to say that they would like to do the activity in the future, compared to older adults. The exception here was in the case of walking, where older adults were more likely to say this.
• Adults with no long-standing health condition were more likely to say that they would like to do walking and running, when compared to those with a long-standing health condition.
• Men were more likely than women to say that ‘training for race or competition’ motivated them to take part.
• Older adults were more likely than younger adults to say that ‘getting out of the house’ and ‘spending time friends’ motivated them to take part. While younger adults were more likely to say that ‘feeling confident’, ‘developing skills’ and ‘meeting new friends’ motivated them to take part.
• Those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely than their counterparts to say that their motive for taking part was ‘to feelgood’.

Confidence

• 55% of adults feel that they have the confidence to be physically active. Men, older adults, those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, and those with no longstanding condition or illness were more likely to say this. These adults were also much more likely to be physically active.
• 22% of adults currently worry about leaving their home to be physically active. This is the lowest proportion observed throughout any stage of the pandemic and a significant reduction from 48% observed during the first lockdown in May 2020. Younger adults and those with a longstanding condition or illness were more likely to report this. Those adults that worried about leaving the home were less likely to be active.
• 32% of adults report feeling more confident as a result of the ongoing vaccination programme. This is a decline in the proportion observed in March 2021 (45%) and August 2021 (45%). Men, those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with no longstanding condition were more likely to say this. Those adults that felt more confident were also likely to be more active.
• The above chart shows the percentage of adults that feel confident in taking part in physical activity in different settings at this time. In October 2020 (in the week before the ‘firebreak’), adults felt most confident taking part in ‘parks’ (61%), ‘outdoor courts’ (36%) and ‘grass pitches’ (35%). In February 2022 the top three settings in which adults reported feeling most confident were: ‘parks’ (66%), ‘swimming pools’ (43%) and ‘gyms’(35%).
• Indoor facilities, including ‘swimming pools’ (43%), ‘gyms’ (35%), sports halls (27%), studios (25%), indoor courts (25%), and ice rinks (17%) have all seen increases in levels of confidence amongst adults since October 2020.
• Outdoor facilities, including ‘outdoor courts’ (28%), grass pitches (30%), golf courses (21%), athletics tracks (19%) and ski slopes (11%) have all seen a decline in levels of confidence amongst adults since October 2020.
• Adults from higher socioeconomic backgrounds reported being more confident about taking part in all settings.
• In almost all cases younger adults and those with no longstanding condition or illness were also more confident than their counterparts. The exception here is in the case of parks where those age 35-54 were the most likely to feel confident.
• Men reported being more confident taking part than women across the majority of settings. The exception here was in the case of studios where women were more likely to feel confident than men. There was little difference in confidence between men and women in relation to swimming pools and gyms.

Opportunity & Resources

• 65% of adults feel that they have the opportunity to be active. This figure has remained relatively stable throughout the course of the pandemic (peak of 69% in May 2020). Unsurprisingly adults who say that they have the opportunity to be active are also more likely to be active. Women, those aged 35+, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less likely to feel that they have the opportunity to be active.
• 39% of adults say that they have found new ways to be active since the start of the pandemic. Unsurprisingly these adults are also likely to report higher levels of activity. Men, older adults, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness were less likely to say that they have found new ways to be active.
• 31% of adults ‘agree’ that they have more time now than before the start of the covid-19 pandemic, while 39% ‘disagree’. These adults were more likely to be active on at least one day in the previous week. Women, those aged 35+, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are less likely to feel that they have more time now to be active.
• 47% of adults feel that there is an adequate number of sport and physical activity facilities in their area. Women and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less likely to feel that there are an adequate number of facilities. Those adults who reported an adequate number of facilities were more likely to be active.
• 37% of adults feel that the sport and physical activity facilities in their area are of excellent quality. Women, those aged 35+, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less like to report this. Those adults who reported excellent facilities were more likely to be active.
• 41% of adults feel that the sport and physical activity facilities in their area are affordable. Those adults that consider facilities to be affordable are also more likely to be active. Women, older adults, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less likely to feel that facilities in their area are affordable.
• 48% of adults feel that they are able to get to the sport and physical activity facilities that appeal to them. Those aged 55+, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness were less likely to reportthis.
• Adults that report being unable to get to the facilities that appeal to them were more likely to be inactive or active on only one day in the previousweek.

The Experience

• Of those adults that used an ‘indoor gym/fitness centre’ in the previous week, 92% reported that they felt comfortable doing so. This is an increase from the 82% observed in October 2020 and the 86% observed in August 2021. Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness were less likely to feel comfortable.
• Of those adults that used an ‘indoor swimming pool’ in the previous week, 91% reported that they felt comfortable doing so. This is an increase from the 81% observed in October 2020 and the 86% observed in August 2021. Younger adults and those with a longstanding condition or illness were less likely to feel comfortable.
• 57% of adults say that they find exercising enjoyable and satisfying. This figure has declined slightly from the 60% in August 2021. Women, those aged 55+, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less likely to say that they find exercising enjoyable and satisfying. There is a clear association between enjoyment and levels of activity, with the most active far more likely to say that they find exercising enjoyable and satisfying.
• 42% of adults reported that they find exercising on their own enjoyable. This is lowest proportion observed at any point in the pandemic in this survey. Women, those aged 16-34, those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a longstanding condition or illness are less likely to say that they find exercising on their own enjoyable. Those adults who find exercising on their own enjoyable are more likely to report higher levels of activity, as evidenced in the chart below.

Health & Wellbeing

• 57% of adults reported that they were exercising to manage their physical health at this time
• this is the lowest figure witnessed throughout the course of the pandemic (peak 71% in October 2020). Those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with no longstanding physical or mental condition were more likely to say this.
• 53% of adults reported that they were exercising to manage their mental health at this time
• this is the lowest figure witnessed throughout the course of the pandemic (peak 65% in August 2022). Younger adults, those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and those with no longstanding physical or mental condition were more likely to say this.
• At this time 33% of adults in Wales report being satisfied with their life, while 57% feel neutral and 11% are not satisfied. Older adults (55+) and those with no longstanding physical or mental condition are more likely to report feeling satisfied with life. Active adults were also more likely to report being satisfied with their lives than those who were less active (active on 2-4 days 32% vs active on 5+ days 41%).
• On average 37% of adults report feeling happy at this time, while 52% report feeling neutral and 11% not happy. Men, older adults (55+), those from higher socio economic backgrounds,

and those with no longstanding physical or mental condition are more likely to report feeling happy. Active adults were also more likely to report being happy compared to less active adults (active on 2-4 days = 34% vs active on 5+ days = 44%).