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Publication - Statistics

Scottish Household Survey 2021 - telephone survey: key findings

Published
25 April 2023
From
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, +31 more … Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Chief Social Researcher, Chief Statistician, Director of Communications and Ministerial Support, Director for Constitution, Director of Covid Recovery and Public Service Reform, Director of Culture and Major Events, Director of Digital, Director of Energy and Climate Change, Director of Environment and Forestry, Director of Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, Director of Healthcare Quality and Improvement, Director of Justice, Director of Learning, Director of Local Government and Housing, Director of Safer Communities, Director of Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice, Director-General Communities, Director-General Corporate, Director-General Economy, Director-General Education and Justice, Director-General Health and Social Care, Director-General Net Zero, Director-General Strategy and External Affairs, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Minister for Housing, Minister for Parliamentary Business, Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Directorate
Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate, +15 more … Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate, Constitution Directorate, Public Service Reform Directorate, Culture and Major Events Directorate, Digital Directorate, Early Learning and Childcare Directorate, Energy and Climate Change Directorate, Environment and Forestry Directorate, Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate, Healthcare Quality and Improvement Directorate, Justice Directorate, Learning Directorate, Local Government and Housing Directorate, Population Health Directorate, Safer Communities Directorate
Topic
Arts, culture and sport, Children and families, Communities and third sector, +9 more … Cost of living crisis, Environment and climate change, Equality and rights, Health and social care, Housing, Law and order, Money and tax, Public sector, Transport
ISBN
9781805257059

A summary of the key findings from the Scottish Household Survey 2021 telephone survey.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

5. Physical activity and sport

More than eight in ten (85%) adults had taken part in physical activity and sport in the previous four weeks from when they were surveyed (Table 5.1). The percentage of adults taking part in physical activity and sport has remained stable from 2020 (86%).

Types of physical activity and sport

Recreational walking (for at least 30 minutes) was the most common type of physical activity with just over three quarters (79%) of adults reporting doing this in the past four weeks (Table 5.1). This has decreased slightly from 82% in 2020. Excluding walking, just over half (56%) of the adult population participated in physical activity and sport in the past four weeks, an increase from 44% in 2020.

Cycling (for at least 30 minutes), keep fit/aerobics and running/jogging were also common, with 15% of adults reporting participating in these activities. The proportion of adults who participated in swimming was 11%, an increase from 2% in 2020. Participation in multigym use/weight training almost doubled, increasing from 8% in 2020 to 14% in 2021.

Frequency of participation in physical activity and sport

Frequent participation in physical activity is defined as being active on more than 14 days in the past four weeks from when the respondent was surveyed. Frequent participation was reported by 58% of physically active adults in 2021 (Table 5.8), which has decreased slightly from 2020 (61%).

Participation differences by group

Participation rates in physical activity and sport were higher among men than women (87% and 84% respectively, Table 5.2). Participation in physical activity and sport (including recreational walking) declined with age.

Participation in physical activity and sport (including recreational walking) was lower for those living in the most deprived areas, as defined by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Those living in the 20% most deprived areas were significantly less likely to have participated in physical activity (76%) than those in the 20% least deprived areas (92%, Table 5.6). Participation in walking (for at least 30 minutes) also increased with decreasing levels of deprivation (69% amongst most deprived and 85% amongst least deprived, Table 5.6).

Disabled people were significantly less likely to be physically active (65%) compared to non-disabled people (92%, Table 5.11).

Satisfaction with sport and leisure facilities

Satisfaction with sport and leisure facilities among all respondents (including non-users) was 46%. 86% of sport and leisure facilities users in the past 12 months were satisfied (Table 5.21).

Active travel

18% of respondents used a method of active travel to get to work or further/higher education (Table 5.35), a proportion that has remained stable from 17% in 2020. This included 14% who walked and 4% who cycled. Over half of school children (56%) used a means of active travel to get to school (Table 5.40).

Contact

Email: shs@gov.scot

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