Long-term increase in activity levels positive but further action needed to tackle inequalities

25 Apr 2024 01:57 PM

We’re making new funding available to tackle major differences between demographic groups and places.

There are two million more adults getting active on a regular basis through sport and physical activity than in 2016, despite the impacts of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and increased cost of living pressures. 

The new figures, which we’ve published in our latest Active Lives Adult Survey report, show that between November 2022 and November 2023, 63.4% of the adult population met the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of doing 150 minutes, or more, of moderate intensity physical activity a week. That’s equivalent to 29.5 million adults in England playing sport or taking part in physical activity every week. 

This figure is largely unchanged from 12 months ago when 63.1% were active but means that, compared to when we first ran the survey between November 2015 and November 2016, there are two million more active adults – an increase of 1.3%.

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