Physical Activity & Sport in the UK (OCR GCSE Physical Education (PE)): Revision Note

Current trends in participation in physical activity & sport

• The level of physical activity and sport in the UK changes continuously

• Participation in physical activity and sport can have a positive impact on mental health and well-being

• Current participation guidelines are:

  • at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily for those aged 5-18 years

  • at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity e.g. brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity e.g. running per week for those aged 19 and over

• According to Sport England’s Active People survey 2023/24:

  • Physical activity in England is at a record high

    • 63.7% of adults are meeting the recommended 150+ minutes of moderate activity weekly while inactive adults (fewer than 30 minutes a week) have decreased to 25.1%.

  • Demographic differences show that significant inequalities continue to exist:

    • Age: participation decreases with age 70% of 16-34 year olds participate in 150+ minutes a week compared with 43% of those over 75 years old

    • Gender: a widening gap exists for girls (45% active) compared to boys (51% active)

    • Ethnicity: significant inequalities continue to exist, with Black (56%) and Asian (55%) adults compared to White British adults (65%)

    • Socio-economic status: inequalities in activity levels have increased between affluence groups with those from lower social groups less likely to be active (Most affluent 72.7% compared to Least affluent 52.4%)

    • Disability: Activity is less common for adults with a disability or long-term health condition than for those without (68.9% compared with 48.5%)

  • Levels of participation can be influenced by the level of funding and provision for sports in different areas of the UK

  • Trends for some activities have changed over the last 6 years

Table representing the number of adults in UK who engaged in activity at least twice in the last 28 days