The vision is for life. It responds to the needs of people at different stages of their life.
This section explores participation in sport and physical activity by Age, alongside additional life factors that can impact different people during different stages of their life.
Graph 3: Participation in at least one Sport or Physical Activity in the Previous Four Weeks, by Age Groups.
Graph 3 shows the proportion of adults within each age group who participated in at least one sport or physical activity within the previous four weeks.
The proportion of adults who participated in sport and/or physical activity at least once during the previous four weeks declined as age increased.
A greater proportion of adults aged 16-24-years, 25-34-years, 35-44-years, and 45-54-years participated at least once during the previous four weeks compared to the national average (56%), and to older age groups.
Conversely, a lower proportion of adults participated at least once during the previous four weeks amongst those aged 55-64-years, 65-74-years, and 75+ years when compared to the national average (56%), and to younger age groups.
Graph 4: Participation in Sport and/or Physical Activity Three or More Times per Week, by Age Groups.
The proportion of adults who participated in sport and/or physical activity three or more times per week during the previous four weeks was equivalent between those aged 16-24-years, 25-34-years, and 35-44-years. As age increased beyond 45-years, the proportion of adults participating three or more times per week declined.
A greater proportion of adults participated three or more times amongst those aged 16-24-years, 25-34-years, 35-44-years, and 45-54-years compared to the national average (34%), and to adults aged 55-64-years, 65-74-years and 75+ years.
Those aged 55-64-years were statistically similar to the national average (34%) and less likely to participate three or more times per week compared to younger age groups.
Table 7: The number and percentage of adults who participated in sport/physical activity three or more times per week, by health and well-being question responses.
| Percentage of Adults (%) | Number of Adults | |
| General Health | ||
| Very good or good | 40% | 733,000 |
| Fair | 20% | 97,000 |
| Bad or very bad | 7% | 14,000 |
| Loneliness | ||
| Not lonely | 36% | 262,000 |
| Sometimes lonely | 34% | 498,000 |
| Lonely | 26% | 84,000 |
| Satisfaction with Life | ||
| Very high | 37% | 299,000 |
| High | 35% | 432,000 |
| Medium | 26% | 90,000 |
| Low | 17% | 22,000 |
| Overall Happiness | ||
| Very high | 36% | 347,000 |
| High | 35% | 347,000 |
| Medium | 30% | 106,000 |
| Low | 22% | 43,000 |
| Overall Anxiety | ||
| Very low | 34% | 367,000 |
| Low | 36% | 181,000 |
| Medium | 33% | 128,000 |
| High | 33% | 166,000 |
| Overall extent of feeling that the things done in life are worthwhile | ||
| Very high | 37% | 357,000 |
| High | 34% | 389,000 |
| Medium | 27% | 80,000 |
| Low | 13% | 14,000 |
| Have a sense of community (belonging; different backgrounds get on, treat with respect) | ||
| Yes | 34% | 526,000 |
| No | 34% | 275,000 |
| Wales Total | 34% | 844,000 |
Table 7 shows how people who participated three or more times a week in sport and physical activity responded to self-reported health and well-being questions.
Those who reported their general health as ‘Very good or Good’ were more likely to participate three or more times a week than those reporting ‘Fair’ or ‘Bad or very bad’ health. Conversely, 93% (194,000) of adults with ‘Bad or Very Bad’ health participated in sport and/or physical activity less than three times per week.
Similarly, those who reported having ‘Very high’ or ‘High’ overall satisfaction with life, alongside those who reported ‘Very high’ or ‘High’ overall happiness, were more likely to participate three or more times a week compared to those who reported ‘Medium’ or ‘Low’ life-satisfaction and overall happiness. In turn, 78% (149,000) of adults who reported ‘Low’ happiness, and 83% (107,000) of adults who reported ‘Low’ life satisfaction, participated in sport and/or physical activity less than three times per week.
Further, those who reported being ‘Lonely’ were less likely to report participating three or more times per week compared to those who reported being ‘Sometimes Lonely’ or ‘Not Lonely’. In turn, 74% (236,000) of adults who reported being ‘Lonely’ participated in sport and/or physical activity less than three times per week.
The proportion of adults participating three or more times per week was statistically similar across the different levels of self-reported anxiety.
Further, there was no difference in the proportion of adults participating three or more times per week between those who said they had a sense of belonging in their community and those who said they did not.
Table 8: The number and percentage of adults who participated in sport/physical activity three or more times per week, by Employment and Education Status.
| Percentage of Adults (%) | Number of Adults | |
| Employment | ||
| In employment | 42% | 594,000 |
| Unemployed | 26% | 15,000 |
| Economically inactive | 23% | 234,000 |
| Highest Qualification Attained | ||
| Degree Level | 44% | 350,000 |
| HNC, HND, BTEC Higher, or equivalent | 38% | 132,000 |
| A or AS levels or equivalent | 40% | 117,000 |
| Apprenticeship | 30% | 25,000 |
| O level / GCSE grades A-C, or equivalent | 30% | 107,000 |
| O level / GCSE grades D-G, or equivalent | 23% | 21,000 |
| Other qualifications | 24% | 59,000 |
| No qualifications | 11% | 31,000 |
| Wales Total | 34% | 844,000 |
Table 8 shows how people who participated three or more times a week in sport and physical activity reported on their employment and highest education qualification attained.
Those in employment were more likely to report participating in sport and/or physical activity three or more times per week compared to those who reported being unemployed or economically inactive.
Those who reported that they had attained a Degree, A Level /AS Level, or HNC/HND/BTEC Higher (or equivalent) were more likely to report participating three or more times per week compared to those whose highest attainment was an Apprenticeship, GCSE/O-Level or Other. Those who had no qualifications were least likely to participate three or more times per week.
Graph 5: The percentage of adults who participated in sport three or more times per week, by food affordability.
Graph 5 presents the proportion of adults who participated in sport/physical activity three or more times per week by food affordability questions.
Those who experienced one or more days in the past fortnight with no substantial meals were less likely to participate this frequently, compared to those who had had a meal with a meat/vegetarian equivalent at least every other day.
Graph 6: The percentage of adults who participated in sport three or more times per week, by Living Situation.
As shown in Graph 6, those who privately rented or lived in a property they owned were more likely to participate in sport/physical activity three or more times per week compared to those who lived in social housing.
The percentage of adults who lived in social housing and participated three or more times per week (19%) was significantly lower than the national average (34%).
Graph 7: The percentage of adults who participated in sport three or more times per week, by vehicle access.
As shown in Graph 7, those who have access to a car or van were more likely to participate in sport/physical activity three or more times per week.
The percentage of adults who did not have access to a car or van and participating three or more times per week was significantly lower than the national average of 34%.