Active Nation (participation & activity type):
- 25% of adults who have any longstanding conditions or illnesses had not participated in 30+ minutes of sport any days of the week, compared to 14% of those with no longstanding health implications.
- Furthermore, 30% of adults living with a longstanding physical condition or illness had not participated in 30+ minutes of sports all week, compared to 22% of those who have a longstanding mental condition or illness, and 14% of adults who have no longstanding health implications.
- Adults who have no longstanding health implications (51%) were more likely to participate in 30+ minutes of sport or physical activity 2-4 days a week than those who have any longstanding conditions or illnesses (43%).
- Adults who have a longstanding physical condition or illness were the least likely to have participated in physical activity 2-4 days a week:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 49%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 39%
- No longstanding health implications – 51%
- There has been an increase in all groups doing physical activity 2-4 days a week since January 2023, with the biggest increase among those who have a longstanding mental condition or illness (11-percentage-points), compared to those with a longstanding physical condition or illness (3-percentage-points), and those with no longstanding health implications (2-percentage-points).
- Adults with no longstanding condition or illness were more likely to participate in walks for leisure and twice as likely to participate in running and jogging and team sports than those with longstanding conditions or illnesses:
- Walk for leisure (61% vs. 52%)
- Running or jogging (20% vs. 10%)
- Team sports (6% vs. 3%)
- Adults with mental health conditions were more likely than those without longstanding health conditions to:
- Walk for travel (33% vs. 26%)
- Swimming (12% vs. 10%)
- 45% of those with longstanding health issues walk with someone else for leisure than those who which is less than the 52% of those who did not have any longstanding health conditions or illness.
- 50% of people with no longstanding health implications went to the gym some days (2-4 days a week), compared to 64% of those with a longstanding condition or illness.
- Adults with a longstanding physical condition or illness (31%) were most likely to participate in running or jogging with somebody else, compared to adults with no longstanding health implications (29%) and those with a longstanding mental condition or illness (14%).
- Those with any longstanding condition (50%) were almost twice as likely to cycle for travel with somebody else than those who have no health implications (26%).
Everyone (inclusivity):
- The cost-of-living increase has negatively impacted 49% of those with longstanding mental conditions or illnesses, compared to 37% of people with longstanding physical conditions and illnesses and 36% of those with no longstanding health implications.
- Those with a longstanding mental condition or illness did less sport and physical activity due to changes in the cost-of-living than any of the other groups:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 48%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 27%
- No longstanding health implications – 28%
- People with no longstanding health implications were most likely to be able get to local sport and physical activities which appealed to them, compared to those with a longstanding mental or physical condition or illness:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 49%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 52%
- No longstanding health implications – 62%
Lifelong (motivation & demand):
- People with no longstanding health implications were more likely to state that they have the ability to be more physically active than those with a longstanding physical condition or illness and those with a longstanding mental condition or illness:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 68%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 43%
- No longstanding health implications – 81%
- 70% of those with no longstanding health implications agreed that it is important for them to exercise regularly, compared to 65% of people who have a longstanding physical condition or illness and 62% of people who have a longstanding mental condition or illness.
- Those with no longstanding health implications (77%) were more likely to have the opportunity to be physically active than those who have a longstanding mental condition or illness (66%) and those who have a longstanding physical condition or illness (50%).
- Over half of all groups take part in physical activity to help manage their mental health:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 64%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 55%
- No longstanding health implications – 57%
Enjoyment (confidence & enjoyment):
- People with no longstanding health implications found physical activity most enjoyable and satisfying, whilst those with a longstanding physical condition or illness found it least:
- Longstanding mental condition or illness – 54%
- Longstanding physical condition or illness – 46%
- No longstanding health implications – 64%
- Over two-thirds (68%) of people with no longstanding health implications have confidence to be physically active. However, 47% of people with a longstanding mental condition or illness, and 42% of people with a longstanding physical condition or illness said they have the confidence to be physically active.
- 49% of those with any longstanding condition or illness were likely to lack confidence using a grass pitch for physical activity (e.g., football, rugby union, hockey etc.,) and this was more likely than 41% of those with no longstanding health implications. 55% of those with physical conditions and lacked confidence the most.
- Those with no longstanding health implications (45%) were more likely to be confident using a gym / health and fitness suite than those who have any longstanding health conditions or illnesses (33%).
- Half (50%) of those who have a longstanding mental health condition or illness feel confident using a swimming pool, compared to 40% of those with a longstanding physical health condition or illness and 53% of those with no longstanding health implications.
- Adults with a longstanding condition or illness (91%) were more likely to be comfortable taking part in physical activity in an indoor gym or fitness centre than those with no longstanding health implications (89%).
- However, those with no longstanding health implications (91%) were more likely to be comfortable using an indoor swimming pool than those who have a longstanding condition or illness (83%).
