Source: http://www.comresglobal.com/polls/sport-england-survey-into-adult-physical-activity-attitudes-and-behaviour/
April 2020
Sport-England-Physical-Activity-Polling.pdf
More recent results from 22nd April
This is the first COVID-19 Insight Briefing from Sport England, summarising the headline findings 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.
This new weekly survey is carried out for Sport England by Savanta ComRes. These results come from interviews with 2,034 adults (16+) from the 3rd April to 6th April 2020. Data was weighted to be representative of adults in England by age, gender, region and social grade.
Please feel free to share these results on to your local partners.
Headlines
- There has been a massive disruption in the physical activity behaviours of adults and children in England. 33% of adults did more and 39% did less physical activity in the last week compared to before the restrictions. In the same period 29% of children did more and 37% did less compared to pre-restriction levels.
- There is a recognition of the importance of physical activity in response to the pandemic. 63% of adults think it is more important to be active during the outbreak compared to other times.
- The majority of adults are using physical activity to help them manage their health . 71% of adults agree that exercise is helping them manage their physical health, whilst 67% agree it is helping them manage their mental health.
- The Government’s messages about exercise may be having a positive impact. 55% of adults in England agree that they have been encouraged to exercise by the Governments guidance.
-
- 59% of adults walked in the last week
- 48% did online fitness, offline fitness or informal activity in the home
- 19% went jogging
- 9% cycled
- There are differences in levels of activity between different demographic groups. Older people, people on low incomes, living in urban areas or living alone are finding it harder to be active during the outbreak.
Please see the tables below for more detailed results.
Physical Activity Behaviour - Adults
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
|
19%
|
9%
|
13%
|
16%
|
9%
|
12%
|
4%
|
19%
|
|
37%
|
34%
|
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
|
10%
|
23%
|
27%
|
17%
|
22%
|
|
33%
|
39%
|
Types of physical activity, participation in last week
Type
|
% who did activity in last week
|
More, Same or Less than usual
|
Who with: on Own, Adult(s), Child(ren)
|
M
|
S
|
L
|
O
|
A
|
C
|
Walking
|
59%
|
37%
|
26%
|
37%
|
49%
|
39%
|
23%
|
Cycling
|
9%
|
46%
|
31%
|
23%
|
60%
|
28%
|
20%
|
Running or jogging
|
19%
|
51%
|
24%
|
24%
|
69%
|
20%
|
15%
|
Home activity / fitness – ONLINE
|
24.6%
|
70%
|
17%
|
13%
|
53%
|
29%
|
29%
|
Home activity / fitness – OFFLINE
|
24.8%
|
57%
|
27%
|
15%
|
66%
|
21%
|
20%
|
Informal play or games at home
|
18%
|
62%
|
19%
|
18%
|
24%
|
33%
|
62%
|
Other
|
5%
|
51%
|
31%
|
18%
|
68%
|
25%
|
13%
|
ANY HOME-BASED ACTIVITY
|
48%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Physical Activity Behaviour – Children
Average daily time spent doing physical activity (average per child in household)
Nothing
|
13%
|
Some, but less than half an hour
|
37%
|
Between half an hour and an hour
|
37%
|
More than an hour
|
14%
|
|
|
SOME
|
87%
|
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
|
7%
|
22%
|
32%
|
20%
|
18%
|
|
29%
|
37%
|
Feelings of adults towards physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak
Statement
|
Agree
|
Disagree
|
Don’t know
|
Since the outbreak I have found new ways to be active
|
52%
|
46%
|
2%
|
I have more time now to be physically active
|
66%
|
31%
|
3%
|
I have been encouraged to exercise by the Government’s guidance
|
55%
|
41%
|
5%
|
I do not find exercising on my own enjoyable
|
41%
|
54%
|
4%
|
I miss the types of physical activity I was able to do before the outbreak
|
63%
|
34%
|
3%
|
I worry about leaving my home to exercise or be active
|
59%
|
38%
|
3%
|
I feel guilty about wanting to exercise during the outbreak
|
30%
|
67%
|
3%
|
I feel guilty about not exercising more during the outbreak
|
51%
|
46%
|
3%
|
I exercise to help manage my physical health during the outbreak
|
71%
|
26%
|
3%
|
I exercise to help manage my mental health during the outbreak
|
67%
|
30%
|
4%
|
The current situation has not impacted my current exercise regime
|
42%
|
55%
|
3%
|
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
|
23%
|
40%
|
29%
|
4%
|
2%
|
3%
|
63%
|
5%
|
Adults Physical Activity Levels – Demographic Analysis
|
MORE ACTIVE now than before
|
LESS ACTIVE now than before
|
% doing 30 mins on 5+ days
|
ALL
|
33%
|
39%
|
34%
|
Male
|
33%
|
39%
|
34%
|
Female
|
34%
|
39%
|
34%
|
16-34
|
44%
|
40%
|
33%
|
35-54
|
34%
|
41%
|
37%
|
55+
|
24%
|
37%
|
33%
|
ABC1
|
36%
|
41%
|
35%
|
C2DE
|
30%
|
37%
|
33%
|
White
|
32%
|
39%
|
35%
|
Non-White
|
41%
|
39%
|
26%
|
Children in house
|
38%
|
39%
|
36%
|
No children in house
|
24%
|
40%
|
31%
|
Other caring responsibilities at home
|
42%
|
34%
|
32%
|
Longstanding condition or illness
|
32%
|
37%
|
28%
|
No longstanding condition or illness
|
34%
|
40%
|
37%
|
|
|
|
|
NE
|
32%
|
40%
|
38%
|
NW
|
34%
|
40%
|
36%
|
Y+H
|
32%
|
39%
|
40%
|
WM
|
33%
|
36%
|
32%
|
EM
|
26%
|
43%
|
32%
|
E
|
32%
|
36%
|
37%
|
L
|
39%
|
45%
|
28%
|
SE
|
32%
|
39%
|
33%
|
SW
|
35%
|
32%
|
37%
|
Urban
|
34%
|
41%
|
33%
|
Rural
|
31%
|
34%
|
39%
|
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