Almost 300,000 More People Are Active

11 Oct 2018 10:42 AM

Results from the Active Lives Adult Survey May 17/18 shows inactivity rates are also beginning to improve.

Almost 300,000 more people are doing 150 minutes of activity a week according new figures released from our Active Lives Adult Survey May 2017/18.

The report also shows that inactivity levels - people doing fewer than 30 minutes of activity a week - dropped by 116,000 over the same time period.

Based on a sample of almost 185,000 respondents to our survey, 297,400 more people in England, aged 16 and above, are meeting the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines of doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week.

As well as this, the report shows 116,400 fewer people are now classed as inactive and are therefore doing more than 30 minutes of physical activity a week, with a particular change being noticed in older adults aged 55-75 - a key target group in our strategy Towards an Active Nation.

Click on the image below to read our report:

The survey also revealed interesting trends in people’s choice of activities.

Walking, both for leisure and travel, grew in popularity, with nearly one million more people walking at moderate intensity.

We have invested significantly in helping people get active outdoors through partnerships with the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, the RSPB, the Canal & River Trust, and in programmes like Beat the Street that turns towns and cities into a giant game to help families get active.

Other activities that grew in popularity over the period were:

• Adventure sports, with 213,400 more people taking part
• Combat sports and martial arts such as boxing (including boxing fitness classes), which saw an increase of 84,800
• Gym sessions, with 320,700 more people taking part
• Fitness classes also saw a big increase, of 197,000, with yoga, pilates and HIIT classes making some of the biggest gains
• Roller and skating sports are showing strong growth with 35,100 more people taking part

Nick Pontefract, our chief operating officer, said: “There are some positive results here in terms of more people getting active, and I am pleased that we are beginning to see a reduction in inactivity. It’s also very clear that the activity habits of the nation are changing, with people finding the activities that best suit them and their lives.

"The new patterns highlight the importance of Sport England’s partnerships with bodies like the National Trust, the RSPB, and the Forestry Commission to support more activity outdoors, and our work with Pubic Health England on training medical professionals to encourage people to get active in ways that will benefit their health.

“We know that sport and physical activity can have a profound impact on physical and mental wellbeing, individual skills and confidence as well as building social capital and growing the economy. Our role is to help everyone regardless of age, background or ability to be active so that they can benefit from those outcomes."

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