The number of children and young people playing sport and taking part in physical activity in England is at the highest level since the Active Lives Survey began in 2017-18.

Sport England's latest Active Lives Children and Young People Survey Report, shows that there are more than half a million more children meeting the CMO guidelines of taking part in an average of 60 minutes or more of sport and physical activity every day than there were seven years ago – an increase of 5.8%.

This reflects significant progress, especially considering the huge disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and is testament to the hard work of schools, sports clubs and many organisations across the sport and physical activity sector.

However, the report also shows that less than half of all children (49.1%) meet the CMO’s guidelines and that significant inequalities remain – underscoring how much there is still to be done to ensure every child in England enjoys the physical and mental health benefits of taking part.

Inequalities

The report findings reinforce that participation in sport and physical activity varies greatly among different demographic groups.

Significant inequalities remain in activity levels, with Black (41%) and Asian (43%) children and young people, and those from the least affluent families (45%), still less likely to play sport or be physically active than the average across all ethnicities and affluence groups.

Girls (46%) are also less likely to be active than boys (52%), and the gender gap is widest between boys and girls from Asian (11.2%), Black (10.6%) and other (12.5%) ethnic groups.

With White British (51%) and White Other (53%) children’s activity levels increasing at a faster rate, the gap by ethnic group has widened over the past 12 months.

Children and young people from the least affluent families are the least likely to be active, with only 45% meeting the CMO guidelines, compared to 58% of those from the most affluent families.

Whilst those from the most and mid-affluence families have seen increases over the last two years, those from the least affluent families have not, indicating inequalities have widened in the short term.

Download the full report to explore in detail levels of activity for different demographic groups and how children’s relationship with sport and physical activity changes as they get older.

Download the report

The Active Lives Children and Young People Survey

Active Lives Children and Young People is a world-leading national survey by Sport England, designed to measure the attitudes, behaviours and activity levels of children aged 5-16. Schoolchildren across England are asked to take part in this survey through their schools. We administer the Active Lives Survey in Lincolnshire. Find out more here.