Active Nation (participation & activity type):
- Older adults (55+) were the most likely to have done 0 days of 30+ minutes of physical activity in the past week, more than the other age groups:
- 16-34 – 9%
- 35-54 – 16%
- 55+ - 24%
- Younger adults (16-34) were the most likely age group to have done 2-4 days of 30+ mins of physical activity in the past week, whilst older adults were the least likely:
- 16-34 – 58%
- 35-54 – 51%
- 55+ - 40%
- However, over a quarter of older adults reported 5+ days of physical activity in the past week, comparatively higher than both other age groups:
- 16-34 – 23%
- 35-54 – 23%
- 55+ - 26%
- Walking for leisure was the most popular physical activity for each group:
- 16-34 – 48%
- 35-54 – 63%
- 55+ - 62%
- Younger adults (59%) were most likely to walk for leisure with somebody, compared to 35–54-year-olds (56%) and older adults (40%).
- Younger adults (44%) were also more likely to walk for travel with somebody else, compared to 35-54-year-olds (34%) and older adults (23%).
- Since January 2023, walking for travel has increased for both younger adults (by 3-percentage-points) and 35-54-year-olds (by 6-percentage-points) but decreased slightly for older adults (by 1-percentage-point).
- Home-based activity was most frequent for the 16-34 group with 21% reporting to have done it in the past week, whilst 18% of the 35-54 group had reported to have done it and it was least frequent with 55+ with 14% of the group reported to have done home-based activity.
- Younger adults had done more running or jogging in the past week than any other age group. 31% of younger adults had done running or jogging whilst 16% of 35–54-year-olds had and 7% of older adults had.
- Younger adults (9%) were 4x more likely to do team sports than older adults (2%). 6% of 35-54-year-olds took part on team sports in the past week.
- Aside from walking, home-based activities were the most popular activity for both 35–54-year-olds and older adults, whereas running or jogging was the most popular amongst younger adults.
- Younger adults were most likely to volunteer supporting sport and physical activity compared to the other age groups. Just under half were likely to volunteer in sport and physical activity, whilst under 1 in 5 of the older adults were likely to volunteer.
Everyone (inclusivity):
- The cost-of-living increase has negatively impacted younger adults’ ability to do sport more than any other age group. 47% of younger adults reported the increase as having a negative impact on their ability to be physically active, compared to 46% of 35-54-year-olds and 26% of older adults.
- Younger adults were most likely to have already or start participating less in physical activity due to the cost-of-living increases:
- 16-34 – 22%
- 35-54 – 16%
- 55+ - 7%
- 47% of younger adults agreed that sport and physical activity facilities in their local area were affordable, which was the group who were most likely to agree, whilst 35% of older adults agreed and were the group least likely to agree.
- While over half of all groups reported that they were able to get to the local facilities which appealed to them, younger adults being the most likely to be able to access local facilities (61%). Meanwhile, 60% of 35–54-year-olds and 55% of older adults stated that they were able to access local sport and physical activity facilities.
Lifelong (motivation & demand):
- Younger adults were more likely to state that they have the opportunity to be physically active compared to the other age groups:
- 16-34 – 74%
- 35-54 – 73%
- 55+ - 68%
- 35-54-year-olds find it most important to them to exercise regularly as 72% agree that it is important, whilst 67% of both younger and older adults believe it is important to them to exercise regularly.
- 81% of younger adults agreed that they have the ability to be physically active – the most of any of the age categories. In comparison, 76% of 35–54-year-olds and 64% of older adults agreed that they have the ability to be physically active.
- Younger adults (48%) were more likely to state that they do not have enough time to be physically active, compared to 35-54-year-olds (36%) and older adults (21%).
- 65% of the 35-54 age group agreed that they participate in physical activity to help manage their mental health – the most out of all age categories - compared to 61% of younger adults and 50% of older adults.
- Since January 2023, there has been a large decrease in older adults reporting they are physically active to help manage their mental health (9-percentage-points), compared to a slight increase for the 35-54-year-old group (2-percentage-points). The figure for younger adults has remained the same.
Enjoyment (confidence & enjoyment):
- Those in the 35-54 age group (64%) were most likely to have the confidence to be physically active, whilst older adults were the least likely to have the confidence to be physically active (58%).
- Older adults (54%) were the least likely to find exercise enjoyable and satisfying, whilst 35-54-year-olds were the most likely to find it enjoyable and satisfying (67%).
- 35-54-year-olds were the least likely to agree that they do not enjoy participating in physical activity on their own:
- 16-34 – 32%
- 35-54 – 26%
- 55+ - 32%
- Over half of all the groups take part in physical activity to help manage their physical health, however, younger adults were least likely (53%), whilst the 35-54-year-olds were most likely (56%).
- All adults were stated ‘to be physically healthy as their primary motivation to be physically active’, however, older adults were the most likely to cite this reason (80%).
- Younger people were more likely to be confident about taking part in sport or physical activity in the following selected surveyed settings:
- Grass pitches (16-34 – 40%; 35-54 – 39%; 55+ - 19%)
- Gym/health and fitness suites (16-34 – 55%; 35-54 – 46%; 55+ - 25%)
- Swimming pools (16-34 – 60%; 35-54 – 52%; 55+ - 41%)
- Studios (16-34 – 38%; 35-54 – 34%; 55+ - 22%)
- However, younger adults were least likely to be comfortable using the facilities in the following settings:
- Indoor gyms or fitness centres (16-34 – 83%; 35-54 – 94%; 55+ - 98%)
- Indoor swimming pools (16-34 – 80%; 35-54 – 91%; 55+ - 97%)
- Indoor grass/artificial pitches (16-34 – 72%; 35-54 – 86%; 55+ - 79%)
- Indoor courts (16-34 – 67%; 35-54 – 80%; 55+ - 86%)
