Keeping active

Sport, recreation, leisure activities and events attended in your spare time – this was one of the main topics we asked you about last year. This gives researchers information about how we spend our time; whether we prefer to watch a football match or kick a ball around the park or if we go to the theatre, whether we pay to watch or get up on stage!

A majority of people (59%) said that they had taken part in sports or active recreation in the previous month. Men were slightly more likely to have taken part (62%) than women (56%). Younger people were more likely to have been sporty or active (69% of those aged under 35) than those in the older age groups (58% of those aged 45-64 and 45% of those aged 65 or above).

There are some activities that people like to watch, and some that they like to take part in. Around 39% of you like to go to the theatre or a dance event, whilst 13% of you like to take part in dance or theatrical acting. One-third of you had attended a musical event in the previous year, whilst one in ten had spent time playing or rehearsing music or singing. One-quarter of you attending an art exhibition whilst one in ten spent time creating art. While around one in six of you had attended a public art event, a circus or a festival, just one in 100 had taken part in a carnival, circus or street art.

Activity in sport and other leisure pursuits has important implications on health and well-being. Research into this area also provides an important picture of the fabric of communities is woven together through civic awareness and community involvement.