Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey 2015: teenage lifestyle trends

4 Leisure variables

Pupils were asked how often they participated in a series of leisure activities outside of school. The most common weekly activities among both age groups were listening to music; going online and using social networking sites; and seeing friends ( Figure 4.1).

There were not many notable differences between 13 and 15 year olds in terms of their leisure activities. However, 13 year olds were more likely than 15 year olds to do a sport (71% of 13 year olds, compared with 61% of 15 year olds) and read books (47%, compared with 33%) on a weekly basis.

There were a number of gender differences. Boys were significantly more likely than girls to play computer games, do a sport or watch a sport, whereas girls were more likely than boys to listen to music, use social media, go to a friend's house, look around the shops and read on a weekly basis ( Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.1 Weekly leisure activities, by age (2015)

Base: 13 year olds (12,630), 15 year olds (10,910)

Figure 4.2 Weekly leisure activities, by gender (2015)

Base: Boys (11,495), Girls (10,982)

There was not a great deal of change over time in terms of the types of leisure activities that pupils participated in. However, there did seem to be an overall trend for participation in activities that involved interaction with other young people face-to-face to have declined since 2002. For example, there was a decline in the proportion of pupils who saw friends, went to a friend's house or hung out in the street on a weekly basis between 2002 and 2015 (Figure 4.3).

Figure 4.3 Weekly leisure activities (2002-2015)

Base: all pupils (for full base sizes please see Appendix A)

Sporting activities

As stated above, boys were more likely than girls, and 13 year olds were more likely 15 year olds, to do a sport on a weekly basis. A more detailed breakdown of the frequency with which pupils participated in sport reflects this, in addition to highlighting the greater difference between 15 year olds girls and the other three subgroups.

While among 13 year olds and 15 year olds boys it was most common for pupils to participate in sport 'most days', among 15 year old girls it was most common to never participate in sport (29%) (Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4 How often pupils do sport, by age and gender (2015)

Base: 13 year old boys (6028), 13 year old girls (5358), 15 year old boys (6461), 15 year old girls (5457)

Active participation in a sports club, gym, exercise or dance group increased among all groups between 2008 and 2013. However, there was no further change between 2013 and 2015 among 13 year olds and 15 year old girls and a small decrease in participation among 15 year old boys (from 64% in 2013 to 61% in 2015).

Figure 4.5 Trends in participation in sports clubs, gyms, exercise or dance groups, by age and gender (2006-2015)

Base: all pupils (for full base sizes please see Appendix A)