3. Everyone: Who's taking part?

Table 3.2 illustrates the percentage and number of adults who participated in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks, by quintiles of Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD)

Table 3.2: Participation in sport and physical activity in the previous four weeks, by Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD):

The percentage of adults who participated in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks varied across deprivation levels. Those living in least deprived areas (Quintile 5) were more likely to participate in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks compared to those in the most deprived areas (Quintile 1).

Those living in the most deprived areas (Quintile 1) and Quintile 2 had participation levels of 54%, which equates to 233,000 adults for Quintile 1 and 242,000 adults for Quintile 2.  Those in the least deprived areas (Quintile 5) had a participation percentage of 66% (370,000 adults). There was a 12-percentage point gap between Quintile 1 and Quintile 5, with 137,000 more adults participating in Quintile 5 compared to Quintile 1.

Compared to 2022-23, the percentage of adults who participated in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks remains similar across all deprivation levels.

3.1.2 Participation three or more times per week by geography

Table 3.3explores the percentage and number of adults who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times per week, by SP area, and by 'Rural' and 'Urban' classification.

Table 3.3: Participation in sport and physical activity three or more times per week by sport partnership area, and population density.

Central South and North Wales had the highest percentage at 38% and 37% respectively, with Central South representing 287,000 adults and North Wales representing 197,000 adults.  Mid Wales had a similar percentage to North Wales (36%), but this represented the lowest number of participating adults (59,000 adults) across all sport partnership areas.  West Wales and Gwent had similar participation rates of 33% and 32% respectively, representing 179,000 adults for West Wales and 147,000 adults for Gwent.

Compared to 2022-23, the percentage of adults who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times a week remains similar across sport partnership areas.

Additionally, the percentage of adults who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times per week was similar between urban and rural areas, with 36% of adults in urban areas (586,000 adults) and 35% in rural areas (282,000 adults). However, urban areas represented more than double the number of participants compared to rural areas. 

Compared to 2022-23, participation levels decrease in urban areas by a 4-percentage point, whereas there was a less notable change in rural areas (40% and 38% in 2022-23, respectively).

Table 3.4 illustrates the percentage and number of adults who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times per week, by quintiles of the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD). As described earlier in the report, the WIMD is the Welsh Government’s official measure of deprivation for small areas in Wales.

Table 3.4: Participation three or more times per week, by Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD):

The percentage of adults participating in sport and physical activity three or more times per week was similar for those living in the two most deprived areas (Quintile 1 and Quintile 2 were both 31%).  Moreover, those living in these areas were less likely to participate in sport and physical activity three or more times per week compared to those living in the least deprived part of Wales (i.e., Quintile 5 at 40%).

There was a 9-percentage-point difference in the percentage of adults participating in sport and physical activity three or more times per week between those who live in the top 20% of most deprived areas (Quintile 1), compared to those who live in the bottom 20% of deprived areas in Wales (Quintile 5). This difference equates to 90,000 adults between the most and least deprived.

Compared to 2022-23, the percentage of adults who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times a week remains similar across all deprivation levels.

3.2 Population Characteristics

This section explores how participation varies by different population characteristics

3.2.1 Participation in the last 4 weeks by population characteristics

Table 3.5 presents participation in sport and physical activity (in the previous 4 weeks) explored by different demographic groups in Wales.

Table 3.5: Participation in sport and physical activity in the previous four weeks by sex, ethnicity, disability, material deprivation, and use of Welsh language.

Females were less likely to report having participated in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks compared to Males, with a 6-percentage point difference.  When compared to 2022-23, results remain similar across both years.

Those who reported their ethnicity as ‘White’ had a participation percentage of 58%, while those who reported their ethnicity as ‘White Other’ and ‘Any Other Ethnic Group’ both had participation percentages of 67%.When compared to 2022-23, results remain similar across both years.

Adults who reported having a limiting long-term illness were less likely to have participated during the previous four weeks (39%) compared to those who do not have limiting long-term illness (70%), with a 31-percentage point difference [3]. In 2022-23, the difference was 23 percentage points.

Adults living in material deprivation were just as likely to report having participated in the previous four weeks (60%), representing 167,000 adults, compared to those who were not in material deprivation (59%), representing 1,267,000 adults.

Compared to figures reported in 2022-23, adults living in material deprivation who participated in the previous four weeks increased by 11 percentage points, which equates to approximately 26,000 more adults participating in sport and physical activity. Adults not living in material deprivation decreased by 4 percentage points, which equates to 69,000 fewer adults participating in sport and physical activity during the previous four weeks.

Finally, participation levels were similar among those using the Welsh language every day and those who do not use the Welsh language every day. When compared to 2022-23, results remain similar across both years.

3.2.2 Participation three or more times per week by population characteristics

Table 3.6 presents participation in sport and physical activity three or more times per week, explored by different demographic groups in Wales.

Table 3.6 Participation in sport and physical activity three or more times per week by sex, ethnicity, disability, material deprivation, and use of the Welsh language.

Table 3.6 illustrates that Females were less likely to report having participated in sport and physical activity three or more times per week compared to Males; an 8-percentage point difference. When compared to 2022-23, results remain similar across both survey years.

The percentage of participation in sport and physical activity three or more times a week was 35% for those who identified themselves as ‘White’, 39% of those who identified as ‘White other ’, and 36% of ‘Any other ethnic group’. When compared to 2022-23, results remain similar across both survey years.

The percentage of adults who participated three or more times per week without a limiting long-term illness (44%)was more than double that of those with a limiting long-term illness (21%) [4]; a difference of 23 percentage points. Compared to 2022-23, there was a 6-percentage point decrease among adults with a limiting long-term illness and who participated three or more times a week, whereas the equivalent percent of adults without a limiting long-term illness remained similar across both years.

The percentage of adults living in material deprivation who participated in sport and physical activity three or more times a week (33%) was close to the percentage of adults not living in material deprivation (36%). However, compared to 2022-23, there was a decrease of 5 percentage points among those not living in material deprivation who participated three or more times a week, equating to 98,000 less adults, whereas for those living in material deprivation, the level reported remained consistent with 2022-23.

Finally, the percentage of adults using the Welsh language every day was 40% and it was 35% for those not using Welsh language every day. 

Compared to 2022-23, those not using Welsh every day and who participated three or more times a week had decreased by 4 percentage points. This equates to 104,000 less adults not using Welsh every day and participating three or more times a week in 2024-25.

Footnotes

1. Using address and as defined by the Office of National Statistics Urban Rural Classification
2.  The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) is the Welsh Government’s official measure of relative deprivation for small areas in Wales. 
3. More broadly, participation in the last 4-weeks was 47% (569,000 adults) for those with physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last for 12 months (irrespective of whether the condition was limiting or not) and 71% (858,000 adults) for those without.
4.  More generally, participation three or more times a week was 26% (316,000 adults) for those with physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last for 12 months (irrespective of whether the condition was limiting or not,) and it was 45% (540,000 adults) for those without.