Gender

Active Nation (participation & activity type):

Women (21%) were more likely to not have participated in 30+ minutes of physical activity than men in the past week (14%).
- The proportion of men and women not participating in 30+ minutes of physical activity in the past week has decreased since January 2023.
50% of men have done 2-4 days physical activity, compared to 47% of women.
61% of women have walked for leisure in the past week compared to 56% of men.
- Over half of women (55%) walk for leisure with someone else, compared to below half of men (44%).
Men (9%) were 4 times more likely to participate in team sports than women (2%) in the past week.
17% of men attended a gym or fitness/exercise class away from home in the past week, compared to 15% of women – although women (59%) were more likely to attend a gym, fitness or exercise class away from home compared to men (34%).
Swimming was more popular amongst women than men, as 19% of women were recorded to have participated at least once a month compared to 15% of men.
50% of women who cycled for leisure did it with someone else, compared to 32% of men.
Men (29%) were more likely to run or jog with someone else compared to women (26%).
38% of men said that they will volunteer in the next 12 months to support sport and physical activity compared to 24% of women.

46% of men agreed that sport and physical activity in their local area was affordable, compared to 35% of women
Men (60%) were also more likely to be able to get to the local sport and physical activity facilities compared to women (56%).
The cost-of-living increase has had a negative impact on both men and women’s ability to be active, although 41% of women were likely to be negatively impacted by the increases compared to 36% of men.
Men (32%) were also more likely to agree that the rising cost-of-living hasn't or won't have any impact on their sport and physical activity choices compared to women (25%).
75% of men stated that they have the opportunity to be physically active compared to 68% of women.

Women were more likely to not have enough time to be physically active due to other commitments. 35% of women were reported to not have enough time to be physically active due to other commitments, compared to 32% of men.
- Since the January 2023, this has increased by 3-percentage-points for men and decreased by 3-percentage-points for women.
Men (74%) were more likely to state that they have the ability to be physically active than women (71%).
74% of men also found exercising regularly important to them, compared to 63% of women.
The main reason why both men (60%) and women (58%) participated in sport or physical activity was to be physically healthy.
Men (61%) were more likely to participate in physical activity to help manage their mental health over women (54%).
- Since January 2023, there has been a drop in both genders participating in physical activity to help manage their mental health.
Walking and swimming were the two activities which there is most demand for future participation amongst men and women. With women having more demand for both:
- Walking (61% vs. 65%)
- Swimming (39% vs. 43%)

65% of men enjoyed and were satisfied with physical activity compared to 55% of women.
33% of women agreed that they do not enjoy taking part in physical activity on their own compared to 27% of men.
Two-thirds (67%) of men agreed that they were confident in being physically active compared to just over half of women (53%).
43% of men feel confident about participating in physical activity in the gym, compared to 38% of women.
Since January 2023, men’s confidence in participating in physical activity in the gym has decreased by 10-percentage-points, whilst for women it has remained the same.
More than twice as many men feel confident using grass pitches than women (42%-20%)
33% of women were not confident using a swimming pool compared to 29% of men.
Women (32%) were more confident with using studios which are used for yoga, martial arts, aerobics etc., than men (28%).
Men (71%) were more confident of using parks for physical activity - including informal play, walking and running - than women (63%).