The Scottish Health Survey 2024 - volume 1: main report

7. Physical Activity

Erin Deakin

7.1     Introduction

The impact of inactivity on health is significant. Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that nearly 1.8 billion adults are at risk of disease from not doing enough physical activity[i]. Recent analysis commissioned by Public Health Scotland found that there are an estimated 3,000 deaths in Scotland each year attributable to low physical activity within the population[ii].

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) remain the most common cause of deaths globally and account for more than two thirds of deaths within Scotland[iii]. The role of physical activity in preventing NCD morbidity and mortality is clearly recognised in the WHO’s 5x5 Non-Communicable Diseases agenda[iv] which includes insufficient physical activity as one of the main NCD risk factors. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines[v] present guidelines for different age groups, covering the volume, duration, frequency and type of physical activity required across the life course to achieve health benefits.

The guidelines recommend that, for good physical and mental health, adults should aim to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none, and more is better still. Each week, adults should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity; or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity; or even shorter durations of very vigorous intensity activity; or a combination of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity. The guidelines also recommend that muscle strengthening activities are undertaken on at least two days a week but that any strengthening activity is better than none. Sedentary time should be minimised as far as possible.

For children and young people, the recommendations[vi] are that those aged 5 to 18 years should engage in an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per day, which should include activity that develops movement skills and which strengthens bones and muscle. Children and young people should also aim to spend less time sitting or lying down and break up periods of physical inactivity with at least light activity.

7.1.1     Policy background

In partnership with COSLA, the Scottish Government published a joint National Physical Activity Framework for Scotland[vii] in October 2024. The Framework provides a context for those developing plans and strategies at both national and local level such that these plans can consider the importance of improving levels of activity. It provides direction and examples of existing work which can help to ensure that plans reflect international best practice and evidence of what works. In line with Best Value principles, the Framework provides an approach by which public bodies can ensure that the actions which they take to improve levels of physical activity are efficient, sustainable and supportive of continuous improvement.

7.1.2     Reporting physical activity in the Scottish Health Survey

In this chapter, the following data are presented:

• Adherence to recommended physical activity levels for adults
• Summary activity levels (including and excluding school-based activities) for children (aged 5 to 15 years)
• Motivations and barriers to participating in physical activity for adults
• Sedentary behaviour for adults and children

Figures are reported by age, sex and area deprivation.

An interactive data dashboard is also available presenting key indicators for Scotland, NHS Boards and local authority areas.

Breakdowns by deprivation are presented by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintiles. To ensure that the comparisons presented are not confounded by the different age profiles of the quintiles, the data have been age-standardised. For a detailed description of both SIMD and age-standardisation as well as definitions of other terminology used in this chapter and for details on the 2019 UK Physical Activity Guidelines and data collection methods for physical activity, please refer to Chapter 2 of the Scottish Health Survey 2024 - Volume 2: Technical Report.

7.1.3     Comparability with other UK statistics

The Health Survey for England [viii], Health Survey Northern Ireland[ix] and the National Survey for Wales[x] provide estimates of physical activity prevalence for adults in the other UK countries. The surveys are conducted separately and have different sampling methodologies, so physical activity prevalence estimates across the surveys are only partially comparable.

The Active Lives Children and Young People survey[xi] in England, the Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity Study in Northern Ireland[xii] and the Schools Sports Survey in Wales[xiii] provide estimates of physical activity prevalence for children in the other UK countries. The surveys are conducted separately and have different sampling methodologies, so physical activity prevalence estimates across the surveys are only partially comparable.

7.2     Results

Summary points

In 2024:

• Around six in ten adults met the guidelines for moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (62%), a similar proportion as recorded in 2023 (63%) and within the overall range of 62% - 69% recorded since 2012.
• The proportion of adults meeting the MVPA guidelines decreased as area deprivation increased, from 73% of those living in the least deprived areas to  50% of those living in the most deprived areas.
• Almost seven in ten (68%) children met the physical activity guidelines (including activity at achool).
• Older children were less likely to meet the physical activity guidelines with 66%-77% of children aged 2-12 meeting the guidelines (including activity at school), compared to 54% of children aged 13-15.
• The most common reasons given by adults for taking part in physical activity were to keep fit (not just to lose weight) (68%), for enjoyment (61%), to de-stress/relax/unwind (47%), for health reasons/to improve health (38%) and to socialise (37%).
• The most common barriers to physical activity mentioned were health not being good enough (39%), difficulty finding the time (27%) and/or not being interested (16%).
• Sedentary time for adults was at the higher end of the range recorded across the time series for both weekdays and weekends (5.7 and 6.4 hours on average respectively).
• A steady increase in time spent on sedentary leisure activities has been recorded for children since 2013 with weekdays ranging from 3.3 – 3.8 hours, and weekends ranging from 4.4 – 5.2 hours on average. 

7.2.1     Around six in ten adults in Scotland met the recommended levels of physical activity in 2024

In 2024, 62% of adults met the guidelines for moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA), a similar proportion as recorded in 2023 (63%) and within the overall range of 62%-69% recorded since 2012.

Similar to previous years, a higher proportion of males met the MVPA guidelines in 2024 (66%) compared with females (58%).

Figure 7A, Table 7.1

7.2.2     The proportion of adults meeting the recommended levels of physical activity decreased as area deprivation increased

In 2024, the age-standardised proportion of adults that met the recommended MVPA guidelines decreased as area deprivation increased, from 73% among those living in the least deprived areas to 50% among those living in the most deprived areas.

Figure 7B, Table 7.2

7.2.3     Almost seven in ten children met the physical activity guidelines

In 2024, 68% of all children aged 5-15 met the child physical activity guidelines when including activity at school. This was at the lower end of the range recorded since 2008 (68%-76%).

When excluding activity at school, 59% of children aged 5-15 met the physical activity guidelines in 2024. This was at the lowest end of the range recorded since 1998 (59%-68%).

As in previous years, in 2024 males were more likely to meet the physical activity guidelines including and excluding school-based activity (73% and 65% respectively) compared with females (63% and 53%).

Table 7.3

7.2.4     Adherence to physical activity guidelines was lowest amongst children aged 13-15

In 2024, older children were less likely to meet the physical activity guidelines with 66%-77% of children aged 2-12 meeting the guidelines (including activity at school), compared to 54% of children aged 13-15.

This pattern was the same when considering physical activity excluding activity at school.

While the pattern of older children being less likely to meet the physical activity guidelines was also evident by sex, the decline in physical activity between 11-12 year olds and 13-15 year olds was significantly larger for females than for males. When including activity at school the figure decreased by 24 percentage points from 67% to 43% for females compared to 5 percentage points from 69% to 64% for males.

Figure 7C, Table 7.4

7.2.5     To keep fit (not just to lose weight) was the most common reason adults reported for participating in physical activity in 2024

In 2024, the most common reasons given by adults for taking part in physical activities were to keep fit (not just to lose weight) (68%), for enjoyment (61%), to de-stress/relax/unwind (47%), for health reasons/to improve health (38%) and to socialise (37%).

In 2024, females were significantly more likely than males to cite keeping fit (not just losing weight) (72% and 65% respectively), to de-stress or unwind (51% and 44%), for health reasons (42% and 34%), to lose weight (35% and 25%) and/or to take children (12% and 7%) as reasons for participating in physical activity.

Males were more likely to take part in physical activity to socialise (41% compared with 32% of females), to improve their performance (27% and 17%) and/or to train or take part in a competition (11% and 7%).

No significant variations were observed by age.

Figure 7D, Table 7.5

7.2.6     The main barrier to adults being more active in 2024 was health not being good enough

Among adults who did not meet the MVPA guidelines in 2024, the most common reasons given were health not being good enough (39%), difficulty finding the time (27%) and/or not being interested (16%). This pattern was evident for males and females.

However, the pattern by age showed significant differences. Younger adults aged 16-44 were more likely than older adults aged 65 and over to report difficulty finding time for physical activity (46% compared with 7%), that it cost too much (9% and 3%), not having anyone to do it with (8% and 4%) and/ or that they wouldn’t enjoy it (9% and 4%).

Older adults aged 65 and over were more likely to report health not being good enough compared with younger adults aged 16-44 (56% and 15% respectively).

Figure 7E, Table 7.6

7.2.7     Sedentary time for adults in 2024 was at the higher end of the range recorded across the time series for both weekdays and weekends

In 2024, adults spent an average of 5.7 hours a day on weekdays and 6.4 hours a day on weekends on sedentary leisure activities. These are at the top end of the ranges recorded since 2012 (5.2-5.7 hours and 5.9-6.5 hours for weekdays and weekends respectively).

No significant differences were recorded by sex for sedentary time on weekdays or weekends.

Figure 7F, Table 7.7

7.2.8     Sedentary time for children in 2024 was at the highest end of the range recorded since 2013 for both weekdays and weekends

In 2024, children were more likely to spend time on sedentary leisure activities at weekends than on weekdays (5.2 and 3.8 hours on average respectively).

Sedentary time among children has risen overall across the time series to its highest level since 2013, increasing from 3.3 hours on weekdays and 4.4 hours on weekends. No significant differences were recorded by sex.      Table 7.8

Table List

Table 7.1  Adult summary activity levels, 2012 to 2024, by sex

Table 7.2  Adult summary activity levels (age-standardised), 2024, by area deprivation and sex

Table 7.3  Children summary activity levels (including and excluding school-based activities), 1998 to 2024, by sex

Table 7.4  Children summary activity levels (including and excluding school-based activities), 2024, by age and sex

Table 7.5  Reasons for participating in activity, 2024, by age and sex

Table 7.6  Barriers to being more active, 2024, by age and sex

Table 7.7  Adults’ sedentary time, 2012 to 2024, by sex

Table 7.8  Children's sedentary time, 2013 to 2024, by sex

References and notes