Gender

Key Gender headlines:

62% of women responded that they walked for leisure compared to 54% of men.
46% of male respondents agreed that local facilities in their area were affordable, this is in contrast with 38% of female respondents who agreed.
The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a negative impact on adults in Wales physical activities as 36% of men say that they have been negatively impacted by it compared to 44% of women.
Walking was the activity which both male and female respondents have the most desire to do in the future, with just under 2 in 3 women having a desire to do more walking – 53% vs. 65%.
1 in 3 women (33%) do not like participating in physical activity on their own, this in comparison with 1 in 4 men (25%).
67% of men have the confidence to be physically active, in comparison to 50% of women.

18% of men have reported that they have not participated in 30+ minutes of physical activity in the previous week, compared to 19% of women.
Almost half (49%) of male respondents had reported to have participated in 30+ minutes of physical activity 2-4 days a week, compared to 46% of women.
Whilst 26% of male respondents had reported to have participated in 30+ minutes of activity 5 or more days, compared to 24% of women.
Women are more likely to have participated in:
- Walking for leisure – 54% [men] vs. 62% [women]
- Home-based activity – 15% vs. 20%
- Swimming – 8% vs. 13%
10% of men have participated in team sports.
Whilst women are more likely to participate in physical activity with someone else in most cases than men. A few examples include:
- Walking for travel - 36% vs. 29%.
- Walking for leisure - 56% v. 45%
- Gym, fitness, or exercise class away from home – 50% vs. 43%
- Swimming – 54% vs. 44%
- Running or jogging – 28% vs. 26%

73% of both men and women now believe they have the opportunity to be physically active.
46% of male respondents agreed that local facilities in their area are affordable, this is in contrast with 38% of female respondents who agreed.
57% of both men and women agree that they are able to get to their local facilities, whilst this is a 5-percentage-point drop for men since January 2023, it is a 6-percentage-point increase for women in the same time period.
The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a negative impact on adults in Wales physical activities as 36% of men say that they have been negatively impacted by it compared to 44% of women.
24% of women have/will take part in few paid activities due to the cost-of-living crisis, compared to 19% of men.
Overall, women are more likely to have had impact from the cost-of-living crisis than men – 46% vs. 52%.

Male respondents are more likely to have agreed that there are adequate facilities in their local area – 53% vs. 51%.
74% of women agree that they have the ability to be physical active, this is in comparison to 72% of men.
Male respondents are more likely to find regular exercise important to them than female respondents – 71% vs. 65%.
Both male and female respondents valued the role which physical activity has on managing their mental and physical health, with men marginally more likely to say this:
- Managing physical health – 58% vs. 53%
- Managing mental health – 58% vs. 57%
Walking was the activity which both male and female respondents have the most desire to do in the future, with just under 2 in 3 women having a desire to do more walking – 53% vs. 65%.

Men are more likely to find exercise enjoyable and satisfying, although since January 2023 the number of women who find exercise enjoyable and satisfying has gone up by 5-percentage-points – 61% vs. 56%.
1 in 3 women (33%) do not like participating in physical activity on their own, this in comparison with 1 in 4 men (25%).
67% of men have the confidence to be physically active, in comparison to 50% of women.
53% of women are confident using a swimming pool, which is a 5-percentage-point increase from April 2023, compared to 51% of men, which is a 6-percentage-point decrease from January 2023.
The main thing that makes physical activity more enjoyable for men and women is having someone/people to go with – 10% vs. 11%.