Welcome to the insight hub for we can move,

This is our storage space for research, reports, opinion and news for physical activity and the wider system which we've come across.

You can search articles by theme/tag by clicking here

Log in for free to comment on the posts or join in the conversations in the forum...

Source: Sport England / Savanta ComRes

May 2020

Welcome to wave five of the COVID-19 Briefing from Sport England, summarising the latest headlines from our weekly survey of physical activity attitudes and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey explores the amount and type of activity being undertaken, how activity is changing over time, who people are being active with, and what they’re thinking and feeling about being active.

 

Carried out by Savanta ComRes over 1st to 4th May 2020. Data is weighted to be representative of adults in England by age, gender, region, social grade and the estimated households with children under 16.

 

You can access the full version of all the headlines and tables from previous weeks here.

 

Please feel free to pass these results on to your local partners.

 

References should be cited as - Sport England / Savanta ComRes: Survey into Adult Physical Activity Attitudes and Behaviour (April 2020). All press releases or other publications must be checked with Savanta ComRes before use.

 

Headlines

  • Activity levels are unchanged for adults and children. Although we’ve seen a decrease in adults doing 0 x 30 over wave 1. Currently 35% of adults say they are doing more than usual, and 36% say they are doing less.
  • The gender gap persists. The gender gap persists when using the 5 x 30 measure, but the figures for each gender saying they are doing more or less than usual are much closer this week.
  • Home-based activity has picked up. After a slight drop last week, home based activity has picked up with its highest figure yet (48%).  Walking (61%), running or jogging (19%) and cycling (13%) held steady. 84% of gym or leisure centre members say they are likely to resume their membership when facilities reopen, while 27% of non-members say they are likely to join.
  • Attitudes around motivation have improved slightly after last week’s apparent waning.We also saw an increase in people agreeing they have the ability and the opportunity to be active. And we’ve seen an increase over wave 1 in the number of people saying they’ve found new ways to be active.
  • Highlighting inequalities. For this wave we’ve produced a visual table showing the effect of the lockdown on the physical activity of different groups, highlighting the inequalities.

The following table shows the proportions from each group doing: 

  • 0 days of 30+ mins physical activity 
  • 5 or more days of 30+ mins physical activity 
  • more than usual
  • less than usual

We also now have combined-wave data available for ethnic groups.

Please see the tables below for more detailed results.

Looking ahead to next week

As wave six will be the last of the full lockdown, we are thinking about what further questions to include in the survey, such as people’s intentions and concerns about returning to physical activity. We ask two new questions:

  1. What new experiences, habits and activities people have done during lockdown that they’d like to continue?
  2. What activities are they most looking forward to resuming?

Physical activity inequalities

This table shows the effect of the lockdown on the physical activity of different groups, highlighting the inequalities many face. It shows the proportions from each group doing a) 0 days of 30+ mins physical activity in the last week, b) 5 or more days of 30+ mins physical activity in the last week, c) more than usual (pre-COVID), and d) less than usual (pre-COVID).

Red is worse than the national average.

Green is better than the national average. 

Those with red/orange all the way across are particularly struggling, for example: those living alone, those with longstanding conditions or illnesses, and those with no access to private outdoor space.

Data is from wave 5, except for ethnicity where we have combined data from all five waves (3rd April - 4th May 2020).

* Fewer than 30 responses

[Sig diff: Indicates whether changes this wave are statistically significant compared to previous waves]

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOUR

Days done 30 minutes or more physical activity in last week (SIM):

 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

 

2-4 days

5+ days

Week 1

22% 

10% 

12% 

14% 

8% 

11% 

4% 

18% 

 

35% 

33% 

Week 2

20%

9%

13%

16%

9%

10%

4%

19%

 

39%

32%

Week 3

20%

9%

13%

15%

11%

10%

5%

17%

 

39%

32%

Week 4

20%

9%

13%

16%

10%

10%

4%

17%

 

39%

32%

Week 5

18%

10%

14%

15%

11%

11%

5%

17%

 

39%

33%

Sig diff

Yes (w1)

No

No

No

Yes (w1)

No

No

No

 

Yes (w1)

No

Is this more or less physical activity than usual?

 

A lot more

A bit more

Neither more nor less

A bit less

A lot less

 

MORE

LESS

Week 1

10%

21%

28%

17%

24%

 

31%

41%

Week 2

9%

24%

26%

18%

22%

 

33%

40%

Week 3

11%

23%

26%

17%

21%

 

34%

38%

Week 4

11%

24%

29%

16%

19%

 

35%

34%

Week 5

11%

24%

27%

17%

19%

 

35%

36%

Sig diff

Yes (w2)

Yes (w1)

Yes (w2, w3)

No

Yes (w1, w2, w3)

 

Yes (w1)

Yes (w1, w2)

Types of physical activity

Participation in the last week

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Sig diff

Walking

59%

59%

60%

61%

61%

No

Cycling

8%

10%

12%

11%

13%

Yes (w1)

Running or jogging

18%

16%

19%

20%

19%

Yes (w2)

Home activity / fitness – ONLINE

23%

21%

19%

20%

22%

Yes (w3)

Home activity / fitness – OFFLINE

24%

22%

22%

19%

22%

Yes (w4)

Informal play or games at home

14%

15%

16%

15%

16%

Yes (w1)

Other

5%

6%

6%

5%

6%

No

ANY HOME-BASED ACTIVITY

44%

45%

45%

41%

48%

Yes (w1, w4)

 

MUSCLE STRENGTHENING

Week 5 only

Days done muscle strengthening activity in last week:

 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

 

2-4 days

5+ days

Week 5

28%

14%

19%

15%

8%

6%

3%

7%

 

42%

16%

Is this more or less than usual?

 

A lot more

A bit more

Neither more nor less

A bit less

A lot less

 

MORE

LESS

Week 5

9%

22%

33%

16%

17%

 

31%

33%

 

GYM MEMBERSHIP

Current gym or leisure centre membership (single or multi-site)

 

%

Currently a member (including if paused)

16%

Cancelled due to COVID-19

8%

Cancelled due to other reason

7%

Not been a member in 2020

69%

NET: Cancelled in 2020

15%

Current members – likelihood to continue when gyms open again

N = 319

 

%

Very likely

55%

Somewhat likely

29%

Somewhat unlikely

9%

Very unlikely

4%

Not sure

3%

NET: Likely

84%

NET: Unlikely

13%

Non-member – likelihood to become a member when gyms open again

N = 1690

 

%

Very likely

9%

Somewhat likely

18%

Somewhat unlikely

16%

Very unlikely

50%

Not sure

7%

NET: Likely

27%

NET: Unlikely

67%

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ATTITUDES

Agreement with COM-B statements

Statement

% Strongly Agree / Agree

Sig diff

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4

Wk 5

I feel that I have the ability to be physically active

68%

66%

67%

66%

74%

Yes (all)

I feel that I have the opportunity to be physically active

65%

65%

65%

64%

70%

Yes (all)

It is important to me to exercise regularly

70%

69%

70%

65%

70%

Yes (w4)

I find exercise enjoyable and satisfying

61%

61%

61%

57%

58%

Yes (w1, w2, w3)

I feel guilty when I don’t exercise

56%

51%

56%

53%

53%

Yes (w1)

Other current feelings about physical activity and the coronavirus

Statement

% Strongly Agree / Agree

Sig diff

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4

Wk 5

 

I exercise to help manage my physical health during the outbreak

69%

70%

70%

66%

67%

No

I have more time now to be physically active

65%

64%

66%

64%

67%

Yes (w4)

I exercise to help manage my mental health during the outbreak

65%

64%

63%

62%

62%

No

I miss the types of physical activity I was able to do before the outbreak

63%

62%

61%

57%

59%

Yes (w1)

I worry about leaving my home to exercise or be active

60%

60%

56%

50%

49%

Yes (w1, w2, w3)

I feel guilty about not exercising more during the outbreak

50%

48%

50%

50%

51%

No

Since the outbreak I have found new ways to be active

49%

51%

50%

51%

53%

Yes (w1)

I have been encouraged to exercise by the Government’s guidance

53%

48%

51%

46%

47%

Yes (w1, w3)

The current situation has not impacted my current exercise regime

42%

43%

42%

45%

47%

Yes (w1, w2, w3)

I do not find exercising on my own enjoyable

40%

43%

43%

44%

43%

No

I feel guilty about wanting to exercise during the outbreak

27%

31%

28%

25%

24%

Yes (w1, w2, w3)

Do people feel it is more or less important to be active at the moment?

 

Much more important

Somewhat more important

No more or less important

Somewhat less important

Much less important

Don’t know

 

MORE

LESS

Week 1

22%

40%

29%

3%

1%

3%

 

62%

5%

Week 2

21%

37%

32%

3%

2%

4%

 

59%

5%

Week 3

23%

40%

29%

4%

1%

3%

 

63%

5%

Week 4

22%

37%

31%

4%

3%

3%

 

59%

6%

Week 5

22%

39%

30%

4%

2%

3%

 

61%

6%

Sig diff

No

No

No

No

No

No

 

No

No

 

CHILDREN’S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS

Average daily time spent doing physical activity (average per child in household)

 

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Sig diff

Nothing

12%

8%

10%

9%

10%

No

Some, but less than half an hour

36%

35%

36%

35%

35%

No

Between half an hour and an hour

38%

38%

39%

38%

38%

No

An hour or more

14%

18%

14%

18%

19%

Yes (w1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOME

88%

92%

90%

91%

90%

No

*Question wording amended slightly in week 5 

Is this more or less than usual?

 

A lot more

A bit more

Neither more or less

A bit less

A lot less

 

MORE

LESS

Week 1

7%

23%

31%

20%

18%

 

30%

38%

Week 2

8%

27%

29%

17%

18%

 

35%

35%

Week 3

7%

25%

29%

18%

20%

 

32%

38%

Week 4

9%

24%

30%

18%

16%

 

33%

34%

Week 5

8%

24%

32%

18%

17%

 

32%

35%

Sig diff

No

No

No

No

No

 

No

No

*Question wording of preceding question amended slightly in week 5 so no measure of sig diff
 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BY DEMOGRAPHIC

% of adults doing at least 30 mins physical activity on 5 or more days in the last week

 

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4

Wk 5

Sig diff

ALL

33%

32%

32%

32%

33%

No

Male

32%

35%

35%

36%

38%

Yes (w1)

Female

35%

29%

29%

28%

28%

Yes (w1)

16-34

34%

31%

33%

31%

28%

Yes (w1)

35-54

34%

31%

29%

34%

35%

Yes (w3)

55+

32%

33%

34%

30%

34%

No

ABC1

35%

35%

34%

36%

33%

No

C2DE

32%

29%

29%

27%

32%

Yes (w4)

White

34%

32%

33%

33%

34%

-

Mixed

28% (week 1-5)

-

Asian

31%

30%

31%

29%

27%

-

Black

25% (week 1-5)

-

Chinese

*

-

Other ethnic group

*

-

Children in house

36%

30%

31%

32%

32%

No

No children in house

31%

33%

33%

31%

33%

No

Other caring responsibilities at home

32%

32%

30%

31%

31%

-

Longstanding condition or illness

26%

25%

23%

23%

23%

No

No longstanding condition or illness

36%

35%

36%

36%

36%

No

NEW: Access to private outdoor space

n/a

n/a

33%

34%

34%

-

NEW: No access to private outdoor space

n/a

n/a

28%

20%

26%

-

NE

38%

34%

43%

*

42%

-

NW

37%

34%

33%

30%

32%

-

Y+H

40%

30%

32%

27%

29%

-

WM

34%

35%

33%

33%

28%

-

EM

28%

32%

34%

30%

29%

-

E

35%

33%

33%

34%

33%

-

L

26%

31%

23%

27%

35%

-

SE

33%

33%

33%

37%

33%

-

SW

32%

29%

34%

35%

34%

-

Urban

32%

32%

30%

31%

33%

-

Rural

39%

33%

40%

35%

31%

-

* Fewer than 30 responses

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

You can explore the full version - including all the headlines and tables from previous weeks here.

 

If you have questions regarding the new survey, please get in touch via the Knowledge Hub Insight Forum

 

BUILDING THE INSIGHT PICTURE

 

As with most aspects of our work and lives, things are changing rapidly. Identifying opportunities to collaborate with partners to build a more detailed picture of the issues affecting the nation’s physical activity is paramount. Therefore, if you have or are aware of emerging insight that you think would be useful, we would be grateful for any details to be shared with us via insight@sportengland.org

 

Best wishes,

Active Partnerships Team

Votes: 0
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of 'We can move' insight to add comments!

Join 'We can move' insight