Sport and Physical Activity: State of the Nation

Methodology

This report draws on data gathered between 2014 and 2024 that describes the physical activity levels of children and young people and adults in Scotland. This includes information on self-reported physical activity levels obtained through structured interviews conducted annually as part of SHeS and SHS.

For adults, including older adults, SHeS collects data on the frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity over the four weeks preceding the interview. Respondents are asked to recall physical activity including walking, sports, exercise and active travel. The survey distinguishes between different types of activity, such as recreational walking, occupational activity and structured exercise, and calculates whether individuals meet the CMO Guidelines (e.g. 150 minutes of moderate activity per week). Adherence to muscle-strengthening activities is calculated based on the types of activities participants report taking part in.

Older adults are asked the same core questions. The survey design ensures that age-appropriate examples are used to prompt accurate recall, and that data can be disaggregated to reflect age-related trends in activity levels.

For children, physical activity data is collected via parental proxy for those under 13, and through direct interviews with older children (age 13-15). The questions cover sports and exercise, active play including housework and gardening, and walking. Where appropriate, data are collected and reported for physical activity undertaken at and outside of school. The survey also records sedentary behaviours such as screen time.

The indicators from SHeS are: adherence to CMO moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and muscle-strengthening guidelines; low (children) or very low (adults) activity rates; and sedentary time.

The indicators from SHS are sport participation and recreational walking.

Differences are highlighted between groups and over time where there is 95% confidence the difference is statistically significant.

It should be noted that from 2025, SHeS has adopted a revised methodology for assessing physical activity for adults. Data collected in 2025 will not be comparable to previous years. The change introduces a shorter set of standardised questions to reduce participant burden whilst retaining the ability to assess progress against the CMO guidelines.

Methodological limitations

In the CMO guidelines, children and young people are considered to be those aged 5 to 18 years, adults are those age 19 to 64 years, and older adults are defined as aged 65+. The age groups used from SHeS and SHS are not exactly the same as for the guidelines. In SHeS, children and young people are those age 2 to 15 years, adults are 16 to 64 years and older adults are 65+. In the SHS, adults are 16 to 59 years and older adults are 60+.

SHeS and SHS rely on self-reported data to assess physical activity levels among adults, older adults, and children. Self-reporting has recognised weaknesses, such as social desirability responding^[3] and low sensitivity to pick up incidental or lifestyle related physical activity. However, it is regarded as a valid, widely used, cost effective and convenient way to track population level physical activity.^[4]

Analysis by some protected inequality characteristics has been presented only for all adults due to small sample sizes for older adults in both surveys. Analysis by ethnicity is not included. Sample sizes are too small to enable robust and meaningful analysis by ethnicity on an annual basis.

Data from a shortened survey undertaken in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic has not been included as these were published as experimental statistics and are not at all comparable to other data in the time series. Data from 2021 is included but should be treated with caution due to methodological differences as a result of the pandemic. It was collected via telephone survey rather than face to face interviews.

Further methodological information is available in Annex B.