Age

The information being displayed below are either significant differences between the demographic data, or significant changes since the previous wave. If you are looking for a more in-depth analysis, please see factsheets for wave 8 and 9.

Walking for leisure with somebody else has increased by 10-percentage-points to 48% for 55+ (older adults), compared to 16-34-year-olds (younger adults) and 35-54-year-olds whose rates have remained the same.

Younger adults are significantly more likely to have confidence in participating in sport and physical activity in the following settings than older adults: 

• Grass pitches (used for football, rugby, cricket etc.) – 39% [younger adults] vs. 33% [35-54-year-olds] vs. 18% [older adults]
• Gyms / Health and fitness suites – 58% vs. 45% vs. 28%
• Swimming pools – 54% vs. 49% vs. 42%
• Sports halls – 42% vs. 32% vs. 21% 
• Outdoor courts (used for tennis, basketball etc.) – 40% vs. 31% vs. 19% 
• Parks – 71% vs. 66% vs. 64%

Younger adults are significantly more likely to volunteer to support sport and physical activity in the next 12 months than both other age groups (52% vs. 35% vs. 17%). 

Younger adults are also most likely to say that they have the ability to be physically active (84% vs. 75% vs. 62%). 

71% of younger adults feel it is important for them to exercise regularly, this is in comparison to 64% of 35-54-year-olds and 65% of older adults. 

Over one in three (35%) younger adults do not enjoy taking part in physical activity, that’s significantly higher than 35-54-year-olds (25%) and older adults (27%). 

35-54-year-olds and older adults are less likely to worry about leaving their home to take part in physical activity than younger adults (33% vs. 23% vs. 15%). 

55% of younger adults and 49% of 35-54-year-olds responded saying they take part in physical activity to help manage their physical health, this is a 7-percentage-point decrease for both age groups since Oct 2023. 

There has also been a significant decrease in 35-54-year-olds exercising to manage their mental health since Oct 2023, with 57% reporting that they to take part in physical activity to manage their mental health compared to 64% in Oct 2023. 

Younger adults are significantly more likely to think that environmental sustainability is an important factor when choosing what sport or physical activity to take part in than 35-54-year-olds and older adults (47% vs. 30 vs. 30%). 

Younger adults are significantly more likely to agree that the sport and physical activity facilities in their local area are of high quality, compared to the other groups (50% vs. 39% vs. 39%). 

There has been a 7-percentage point decrease from younger adults and those between 35-54-years-old being able to get to their local sport and physical activity facilities, compared to Oct 2023 (55% vs. 54% vs. 57%). 

37% of younger adults say that they want to do more running and jogging in the future, which is significantly more than the other age groups, whilst 68% of older adults want to do more walking (either for leisure or travel) in the future, which is significantly more than younger adults (41%) and 35-54-year-olds (58%).