Volunteering
- Just over one in six (18%) adults in Wales are currently volunteering in sport and physical activity, which remains in line with Jan 25 (16%) and is higher than Apr 24 (14%). It is the highest figure observed since tracking began.
- Current volunteers are significantly more likely to be male than female (27% vs 10%), aged 16-34 compared to 35-54 and 55+ (33% vs 20% and 6%), from higher socio-economic backgrounds (ABC1 vs C2DE) (28% vs 8%), from an ethnic minority group compared to white (44% vs 15%) and to have children aged 15 or under in the household (34% vs 9%).
- Over one in three (36%) adults in Wales say they are likely to volunteer to support sport and physical activity in the next 12 months, in line with Jan 25 (37%) and more than Apr 24 (30%).
- 16-34s are significantly more likely than 35-54s and 55+ (56% vs 43% vs 17%) to say they are likely to volunteer to support sport and physical activity, as are male respondents compared to female (43% vs 29%), those from higher socio-economic backgrounds compared to lower (46% vs 26%) and respondents with children 15 or under in the household compared to those without (56% vs 25%).
Cost-of-living
- Nearly two in five adults in Wales (38%) say that the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their ability to be active. This remains in line with Jan 25 (39%) and Apr 24 (39%).
- Female respondents are significantly more likely than male to agree that the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their ability to be active (45% vs 30%), as are those aged 16-34 and 35-54 than 55+ (44% vs 47% vs 27%).
- Those with children aged 15 or under in the household are significantly more likely than those without to say that the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their ability to be active (43% vs 36%). However, this wave saw a significant decrease in the number of respondents with children saying the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their ability to be active (43% vs 50% in Jan 25). This is the lowest figure seen since tracking began, however, is in line with Apr 24.
- One in two (50%) adults in Wales say changes in the cost-of-living have not impacted their participation in sport and physical activity, just under three in ten (29%) say they have been doing less sport and physical activity as a result.
- Respondents living in the least deprived areas are significantly more likely to say the changes in the cost of living have not impacted their participation in sport and physical activity compared to those from the most deprived areas (59% vs 49%).
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than those aged 55+ to say they’ve been doing less sport and physical activity due to changes in the cost-of-living (34% and 39% vs 18%), as are those with children aged 15 or under in the household compared to those without (36% vs 26%).
Sports club membership
- Just over one in six (17%) adults in Wales are currently a member of a sports club, in line with Jan 25 (15%).
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than 55+ to use fitness technology (28% and 16% vs 9%), as are male respondents compared to female (24 vs 10%), respondents in higher socio-economic groups versus lower (ABC1 vs C2DE, 23% vs 11%), ethnic minority respondents compared to white respondents (34% vs 15%) and those with children compared to those without (27% vs 11%).
Social media trends and influences
- Nearly one in three (31%) adults in Wales say they have seen physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months.
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than those aged 55+ to say they have seen physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months (59% and 34% vs 10%), as are those from higher socio-economic groups (ABC1 vs C2DE, 41% vs 21%).
- Adults in Wales from an ethnic minority group are significantly more likely than white adults to say they have seen physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months (63% vs 27%).
- Among adults in Wales that have seen physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months, two in three (66%) say it positively influenced their decision to do sport or physical activity (e.g., felt inspired, encouraged).
- Just over one in five (22%) say physical activity trends, challenges or influencers did not impact their decision, while just under one in ten (8%) say it negatively influenced their decision to do sport or physical activity (e.g., felt pressured, discouraged).
- Male respondents are significantly more likely than female to say physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months, positively influenced their decision to do sport or physical activity (72% vs 61%).
New and emerging activities and organised events
- Adults in Wales generally feel neutral (38%) or positive (32%) about new and emerging physical activities (e.g., Hyrox, adventure races, fitness challenges), with only one in ten saying they feel negative (11%).
- Male respondents are significantly more likely than female to describe their attitude towards new and emerging physical activities as positive (36% vs 28%).
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than those aged 55+ to say they have seen physical activity trends, challenges or influencers on social media in the past three months (55% and 34% vs 14%), as are those from higher socio-economic groups (ABC1 vs C2DE, 41% vs 22%).
- Just under one in five (17%) adults in Wales say eating a healthy, balanced diet is the most important factor in making them feel healthy. Regular exercise (13%), physical well-being (8%), and losing weight (6%) were the other common themes identified by respondents.
- Just under one in eight (12%) adults in Wales have signed up for or participated in an organised sporting or physical activity event in the past three months.
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than those aged 55+ to say they have signed up for or participated in an organised sporting or physical activity event in the past three months (24% and 12% vs 2%).
- Respondents from an ethnic minority group are significantly more likely than white respondents to say they signed up for or participated in an organised sporting or physical activity event in the past three months (29% vs 9%), as are those from higher socio-economic groups (ABC1 vs C2DE, 16% vs 7%).
- Among adults in Wales that have signed up for or participated in an organised sporting or physical activity event in the past three months, more than two in five (44%) signed up for or participated in a walking event (e.g. charity walk). Nearly one in three (31%) signed up for or participated in a running event (e.g., charity run, half marathon, parkrun), and nearly one in four (22%) signed up for or participated in a marathon.
- Among adults in Wales that have signed up for or participated in an organised sporting or physical activity event in the past three months, more than one in three (34%) first heard about it on social media.
- Male respondents are significantly more likely than female to say they first heard about the event on social media (42% vs 24%). Female respondents were most likely to hear about their most recent event from a recommendation from friends or family (30%), significantly more than male respondents (13%).
Women’s sport or physical activity events
- Nearly one in three (32%) adults in Wales say they have watched a women’s sport or physical activity event in the past three months.
- Male respondents are significantly more likely than female to say they have watched a women’s sport or physical activity event in the past three months (37% vs 27%), as are those aged 16-34 compared to 35-54 and 55+ (43% vs 32% and 23%).
- Nearly one in ten (8%) adults in Wales say they have attended in-person a women’s sport or physical activity event in the past three months.
- Among adults in Wales that have watched or attended a women's sport or physical activity event in the past three months, more than one in three (35%) say they first found out about the event through TV or radio coverage. Nearly one in four (24%) found out about the event through social media, and around one in six (16%) through a recommendation from friends or family.
- Among adults in Wales that have watched or attended a women's sport or physical activity event in the past three months, more than one in two (51%) say their decision to watch or attend was spontaneous. Around two in five (44%) say their decision was planned in advance.
- Female respondents are significantly more likely than male to say their decision to watch or attend the women’s sport or physical activity event was spontaneous (57% vs 46%), while male respondents were more likely to plan their decision to watch or attend in advance (49% vs 37%).
- Among adults in Wales that have watched or attended a women's sport or physical activity event in the past three months, one in four (25%) say watching or attending an event has inspired them to increase their activity levels. Nearly one in three (31%) say they have been inspired into considering doing more sport of physical activity, but haven’t yet.
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than 55+ to say watching or attending an event has inspired them to increase their activity levels (40% and 20% vs 9%).
New Year’s resolutions and goals
- More than one in four (28%) adults in Wales set a New Year’s resolution or goal related to sport or physical activity this year.
- Respondents aged 16-34 and 35-54 are significantly more likely than 55+ to have set a resolution or goal (49% and 31% vs 10%), as are respondents in higher socio-economic groups versus lower (ABC1 vs C2DE, 34% vs 21%), ethnic minority respondents compared to white respondents (59% vs 24%) and those with children compared to those without (45% vs 19%).
- Among adults in Wales that set a New Year’s resolution or goal related to sport or physical activity this year, more than two in five (41%) say they are still actively pursuing their resolution of goal. One in two (50%) say they have made progress but not consistently, while less than one in ten (8%) say they have stopped working towards their resolution or goal altogether.
- Male respondents (66%) are significantly more likely than female respondents (58%) to say they say they are still actively pursuing their resolution or goal (54% vs 29%).
