Published December 2023
This summary highlights the key findings from the Scottish Household Survey 2022 (SHS). The summary is structured by the two chapters that are pertinent to the sporting sector:
- Physical activity and sport (chapter 5)
- Volunteering (chapter 8)
Approximately 10,500 households were interviewed for the SHS 2022 survey between March 2022 and March 2023. Additional data on physical activity and sport, and volunteering can be found here. Please note that comparisons made with data from previous surveys do not include surveys published in 2020 or 2021 due to methodological issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Physical activity and sport
82% adults had taken part in physical activity and sport in the previous four weeks. The percentage of adults taking part in physical activity and sport has increased slightly since 2019 when 80% of adults participated in physical activity and sport.
Recreational walking (for at least 30 minutes) was the most common type of physical activity; 74% of adults reported taking part in recreational walking in the past 4 weeks. This has increased from 68% in 2019. Excluding walking, 51% of adults participated in sport and physical activity in the previous 4 weeks; this has decreased from 54% in 2019.
Multigym use/weight training was also common at 16% of people participating in these activities, as was swimming at 14% although this has decreased from 17% in 2019. The proportion of adults who participated in keep fit/aerobics was 13%, stable from 2019, and 12% of people participated in cycling, also stable from 2019.
Adult respondents who actively participated in physical activity or sport were asked how frequently they participated. Of those, 54% participated frequently (defined as participating on more than 14 days in the past four weeks). This has increased slightly from 2019 (51%).
Participation differences by group
Participation rates in physical activity and sport (including recreational walking) were higher among men than women (84% and 80% respectively).
Participation in physical activity and sport declined with age – 91% for those aged 16 to 34, 86% for those aged 35 to 59 and 70% for those aged 60 and over.
There was a 20% difference in participation in physical activity and sport (including recreational walking) between those living in the most deprived areas and the least deprived areas. Of those living in the most deprived areas, 70% participated in physical activity and sport (including recreational walking) compared to 90% for those living in the least deprived areas.
Disabled people were less likely to be physically active (60%) compared to non-disabled people (90%).
Active Travel
Consistent with results from 2019, 17% used a method of active travel to get to work or further/higher education. This included 14% who walked and 3% who cycled. Of school children travelling to school, 50% walked and 1% cycled; this is consistent with results from 2019 (52% and 2% respectively).
Satisfaction with sport and leisure facilities
Satisfaction with sports and leisure facilities among all respondents (including non-users) was 42%, a slight decrease from 44% in 2019. For those who used sports and leisure facilities, 83% of people were satisfied with them in the last 12 months, consistent with results from 2019.
Volunteering
The 2022 SHS asked respondents about any formal volunteering (giving unpaid help to organisations or groups) that they had undertaken during the previous 12 months. It also asked respondents about informal volunteering (giving unpaid help directly – not via an organisation or group – to other people or places, not including help given to relatives). The data suggest that while informal volunteering remains at levels consistent with rates before the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in formal volunteering has reduced.
Overall, 46% of respondents have taken part in volunteering (formal and informal) in the last year. 22% of respondents took part in formal volunteering; 35% took part in informal volunteering. Formal volunteering has dropped since 2019, when 26% of respondents said they had done so. The longer-term picture also shows a decline; since 2011, the rate of formal volunteering has dropped by 9 percentage points (from 30% in 2011 to 22% in 2022).
Of those that formally volunteer, 15% of respondents volunteered with organisations working on ‘physical activity, sport and exercise’. Men were more likely to volunteer with organisations involved in physical activity, sport and exercise than women (21% compared to 9% respectively; in 2019 this was 21% compared to 11%).
Participation differences by group
51% of adults living in the 20% least deprived areas (SIMD 5) had volunteered either formally or informally, compared to 37% of those living in the 20% most deprived areas (SIMD 1). Volunteering is also more common in rural areas.
Disabled respondents were less likely to have undertaken any type of volunteering compared to those with no disability (43% compared to 46% respectively).
Lastly, White Scottish adults were more likely to have done any type of volunteering compared to minority ethnic adults by 13 percentage points. Minority ethnic respondents were most likely of all ethnicities to volunteer in organisations focused on religion and belief.