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read moreMore than 82% of adult Australians participated in sport and physical activity at least once a week in 2019 according to the latest AusPlay figures from Sport Australia.
Released by Sport Australia on 30th April with no accompanying statement, the figures show an ongoing rise in sport and physical activity with 63.6% of Australians reporting they are active at least three times a week - compared with 63% in 2018 and 47.7% in 2019 - and 90.4% of Australians reporting they exercise 'at least once per year'.
While reporting on Australians participating in sport and physical activity at least once a year would appear to be of little value, the figures also show that female activity declined in 2019, with 65.4% reporting that they were active at least three times a week, compared with 66.1% in both 2017 and 2018.
Men's activity increased in 2019, to 61.8% participating in sport and physical activity at least three times a week, compared with 59.8% in 2018.
Breaking down participation across Australia, the ACT once again reported the highest participation, while Tasmania recorded the most improvement.
The AusPlay figures also advised that while sport related participation had remained stagnant, the years from 2001 to 2019 had seen a 20% rise in non-sport physical activity.
However, while reporting on rising activity levels, the study revealed that in terms of meeting Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines, only 34.3% of the population achieve this.
As for sports and activities undertaken by Australians, football, AFL, golf, netball and tennis were the most popular clubs sports while recreational walking, fitness/gym activities, bush walking, yoga and Pilates were the most popular 'non-sport' physical activities.
With the AusPlay data covering the last calendar year (January to December 2019), before Coronavirus arrived in Australia, there are fears that current participation levels have declined dramatically during lockdown.
As reported last month by The Sunday Age, Sport Australia acting Chief Executive Rob Dalton says sport needs to “get people moving” after months in lockdown, advising “the biggest issue is going to be re-engagement.
"We are creatures of habit. We are concerned that the longer this goes, we are going to lose a cohort of people who won’t come back to sport and will find something else to fill the void.
“We are already 194 out of 197 on the global obesity index. There isn’t a lot of margin for error.”
Earlier this week, Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition commenced a national survey to gauge the short and longer term impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the health and activity of children.
Click here to visit the AusPlay website.
Main image: Youth participation at the Australian Schools Cross Country Championships. Tables courtesy of AusPlay.
6th May 2020 - Coronavirus downturn sees sports in country towns struggle
6th May 2020 - YMCA warns against long-term impacts of COVID-19 on youth
5th May 2020 - Deakin University launches survey to assess how Australians are coping without sport
4th May 2020 - Australians’ physical activity declines during Coronavirus lockdown
1st May 2020 - National Cabinet sets out measures for resumption of sport and recreation activities across Australia
1st May 2020 - Australians undecided about whether sports competitions should return in 2020
30th April 2020 - Former Minister Bridget McKenzie defends role in sports grant allocations
24th April 2020 - Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces framework for return of sport
4th March 2020 - Sport Australia admits failing to tell Senate about second former Minister’s email
29th February 2020 - Former Sport Australia Chief Executive ‘surprised’ to see colour-coded grants spreadsheet
14th February 2020 - Sport Australia slammed for extravagant spending on offices and consultants
5th February 2020 - Sport Australia confirm Robert Dalton as acting Chief Executive
4th February 2020 - Kate Palmer departs Chief Executive role at Sport Australia
24th January 2020 - Executive who worked on Infrastructure Grant Program no longer at Sport Australia
23rd December 2019 - Belgravia Leisure supports Sport Australia’s ‘Find Your 30’ campaign
10th December 2019 - Fitness Australia names Sport Australia executive and Glen Eira Leisure manager as appointed Directors
30th November 2019 - AIS and Sport Australia look to increase leadership depth and diversity in sport
15th November 2019 - AusPlay survey shows football remains the top participation sport in NSW
12th November 2019 - Sport Australia announces strengthening of National High Performance Sports Strategy
30th October 2019 - AusPlay survey advises that 81% of Australian adults participate in sport at least once a week
29th October 2019 - Sport Australia and Parks and Leisure Australia agree partnership
16th October 2019 - Fitness Australia endorses Sport Australia’s Position Statement on Physical Literacy
15th October 2019 - Sport Australia releases Position Statement on Physical Literacy
5th August 2019 - Sport Australia releases Corporate Plan to guide increases in participation in sport and physical activity
23rd July 2019 - Cricket Australia exposed for exaggerating participation figures
3rd May 2019 - AusPlay survey shows gymnastics as the fastest growing sport in Victoria
30th April 2019 - Fitness Australia Chief Executive queries ‘self-reported participation rates’ in Ausplay Report
30th April 2019 - Latest Ausplay survey shows gradual increase in physical activity
13th April 2019 - Sport Australia Chief Executive backs Fitness Australia’s new physically activity goals
4th April 2019 - Sport Australia’s John Wylie welcomes Federal budget funding boost
4th April 2019 - New activity guidelines backed by record recreation and sport investment in Federal budget
20th July 2018 - Report shows few Australians of all ages meeting physical activity guidelines
22nd November 2017 - AusPlay data shows increasingly active women chose fitness activities ahead of organised sport
17th November 2017 - New AusPlay figures show football leads sport participation rates in Australia
8th December 2016 - Landmark study finds sport struggling to keep youth engaged
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