Sport and Physical Activity: State of the Nation

Footnotes

1 UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines are scientifically-informed guidelines which set out the intensity, frequency and other aspects of physical activity and sedentary behaviour that can help to reduce ill-health. See Annex A for more details.

2 Detail on age ranges is presented in the methodology and specific life stage chapters.

3 This means where respondents may give answers to questions that they believe will make them look good to others, concealing their true opinions or experiences.

4 Guide to the Assessment of Physical Activity: Clinical and Research Applications | Circulation

5 2017 and 2018 were excluded due to differences in the way the questions were asked. Results from 2021 should be treated with caution.

6 The Scottish Health Survey does not currently have a measurement for bone strength.

7 Results from 2021 should be treated with caution. 2017 and 2018 were excluded from walking participation due to differences in the way the questions were asked.

8 Questions on sedentary behaviour were not asked in 2014 and 2021.

9 Data on sedentary behaviour were not gathered in 2014 and 2021.

10 Data on sedentary behaviour were not gathered in 2014 or 2021

11 In 2021, 16% reported very low levels of physical activity, however, results from 2021 should be treated with caution.

12 Data on sport and walking were not gathered in 2020 or 2021.

13 Details on how SHeS assesses muscle-strengthening activity is in Annex 2.

14 In 2021, 36% reported adherence to muscle-strengthening guidelines, however, results from 2021 should be treated with caution.

15 Data on sedentary behaviours was not gathered in 2020 or 2021.

16 Data on sedentary behaviour was not gathered in 2020 or 2021.

17 Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1·9 million participants - PubMed (2018)

18 Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants - PubMed (2020)

19 Different analysis methods of Scottish and English child physical activity data explain the majority of the difference between the national prevalence estimates - PubMed (2019)

20 Scotland | HBSC study

21 Analysis by Dr. Tessa Strain based on data drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (2023) data browser (findings from the 2021/22 international HBSC survey)

22 Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants - PubMed (2020)

23 A focus on adolescent physical activity, eating behaviours, weight status and body image in Europe, central Asia and Canada | HBSC study (2024)

24 Analysis by Dr. Tessa Strain based on data drawn from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (2023) data browser (findings from the 2021/22 international HBSC survey)

25 Comparisons in Screen-Time Behaviours among Adolescents with and without Long-Term Illnesses or Disabilities: Results from 2013/14 HBSC Study - PubMed (2018)

26 National, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5·7 million participants - PubMed (2024)

27 Prevalence and trends in physical activity among older adults in the United States: A comparison across three national surveys - PubMed (2016)

28 Active Lives Adult Survey November 2023-24 Report (2025)

29 Is ageing becoming more active? Exploring cohort-wise changes in everyday time use among the older population in Sweden - PubMed (2021)

30 Time trends between 2002 and 2017 in correlates of self-reported sitting time in European adults - PubMed (2019)

31 The Scottish Health Survey 2012 Main Report

32 Assessing the intensity of children’s activities is more complicated than for adults, no information on intensity was collected for children (with the exception of asking those aged 13-15 about their walking pace).