ABS notes declining sport and physical recreation participation

Just released figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that there has been a decrease in the number of Australians participating in sport and physical recreation.

ABS Household Surveys Director Gary Niedorfer explains "overall, 60% of Australians aged 15 years and over participated in sport and physical recreation in 2013/14, compared with 65%% in 2011/12."

The highest participation rate for sport and physical recreation in 2013/14 was in the Australian Capital Territory (73%). Queensland recorded the lowest participation rate with 54%.

Niedorfer added "3.5 million people reported walking for exercise, still the most popular physical recreational activity undertaken by Australians in 2013/14, this is despite a significant drop in the participation rate from 2011/12.

"(Walking) remains the exercise of choice for females in 2013/14, while the most popular activity for males was fitness/gym.

"There has also been a drop in the proportion of people undertaking other activities such as swimming and cycling."

The highest participation rate for sport and physical recreation was in the Australian Capital Territory (73%), while the other states ranged from 54% in Queensland to 67% in Tasmania.

Walking for exercise was the most popular physical recreational activity, with 19% of people aged 15 years and over walking for exercise at least once in the 12 months prior to interview. Females were more likely to walk for exercise than males (25% and 14% respectively). Fitness and gym were the next most popular activity (17%) again with more females than males participating (19% and 16% respectively). Males were more likely than females to play golf (6.6% and 1.4% respectively) or participate in cycling and BMXing (8.5% and 4.0% respectively). 

In the 12 months prior to interview, an estimated 5.2 million people aged 15 years and over (28%) reported that they were involved in organised sport and physical activity. This included 4.7 million people involved in playing roles (26% of persons aged 15 years and over), and 1.4 million people involved in non-playing roles (7.7%). 

Involvement in organised sport and physical activity generally decreased with age. People aged 15-24 years had the highest rate of involvement in a playing role (43%) and the highest rate of involvement overall (44%). In comparison, people aged 55-64 and 65 years and over had the lowest rate of involvement in a playing role (18% and 17% respectively ) and the lowest involvement overall (19% and 18% respectively). 

Of the 5.2 million people involved in organised sport and physical activity, 6.8% received some type of payment for their involvement. People involved as a coach, instructor or teacher were more likely to receive some payment (26%) than people in a playing role (2.8%).

The proportion of Australians playing tennis fell from 4.2% in 2011/12 to 3.0% in 2013/14. There were also falls in participation in other sports such as golf and cricket.

Further details are available in Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2013-14 (cat. no. 4177.0).

Click here to view the document on the ABS website.

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