4156.0 - Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview, Australia, 2008 (Edition 2)  
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Contents >> Chapter 3 - Participation in sport and recreation >> Adult participation in sports and physical recreation

ADULT PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION

Characteristics of participants

During the 12 months prior to interview in 2006, 65.9% of Australians aged 15 years and over participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport. Overall, males (5.2 million or 66.0% of males) and females (5.3 million or 65.7% of females) showed similar participation rates for sports and physical recreation. The participation rate was higher for persons aged 25-34 years (75.1%) and 15-17 years (74.6%) than for any other age group, and lower for persons aged 65 years and over (49.4%).

Persons living in capital cities participated in sports and physical recreation at a similar rate to those living in other areas of Australia (66.3% compared with 65.0%). Participation rates varied among the states and territories, ranging from 58.3% in the Northern Territory to 79.5% in the Australian Capital Territory.

The participation rates for both Full-time and Part-time employed persons (71.5% and 73.2% respectively) were higher than for Unemployed persons (66.1%). For persons Not in the labour force, the participation rate was particularly low at 54.5%. However, this was largely because a substantial proportion of this group are aged 65 years and over.

3.1 ADULT PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION(a), Characteristics of participants - 2005-06

NUMBER
PARTICIPATION RATE
Male
Female
Persons
Male
Female
Persons
'000
'000
'000
%
%
%

AGE
15-17
307.8
302.8
610.5
77.3
72.1
74.6
18-24
735.2
671.3
1 406.4
73.3
71.8
72.6
25-34
1 054.5
1 033.9
2 088.3
76.3
74.0
75.1
35-44
975.4
1 035.9
2 011.2
66.7
69.1
68.0
45-54
871.8
923.4
1 795.2
63.5
65.7
64.6
55-64
670.1
716.3
1 386.5
60.4
64.6
62.5
65 and over
591.0
652.9
1 243.9
50.8
48.2
49.4
STATE OR TERRITORY
New South Wales
1 726.8
1 711.6
3 438.4
65.3
62.9
64.1
Victoria
1 254.6
1 357.4
2 611.9
63.6
66.1
64.8
Queensland
1 033.5
1 037.1
2 070.6
67.6
66.7
67.1
South Australia
390.8
415.0
805.8
64.8
66.7
65.8
Western Australia
547.2
553.1
1 100.2
70.7
70.3
70.5
Tasmania
120.8
128.2
248.9
64.6
65.7
65.2
Northern Territory(b)
34.1
30.6
64.7
60.4
56.1
58.3
Australian Capital Territory
97.9
103.6
201.5
79.5
79.5
79.5
REGION
Capital cities(c)
3 322.6
3 343.5
6 666.1
67.3
65.4
66.3
Rest of Australia(d)
1 883.1
1 992.9
3 876.0
63.8
66.3
65.0
LABOUR FORCE STATUS
Employed
3 907.4
3 298.2
7 205.6
70.8
73.5
72.0
Full-time
3 343.4
1 772.7
5 116.2
70.2
74.2
71.5
Part-time
564.0
1 525.5
2 089.5
74.2
72.8
73.2
Unemployed
193.8
168.3
362.1
68.4
63.7
66.1
Not in Labour Force
1 104.4
1 869.9
2 974.3
53.0
55.5
54.5
Total
5 205.7
5 336.4
10 542.1
66.0
65.7
65.9

(a) Relates to persons aged 15 years and over who participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport as players during the 12 months prior to interview.
(b) Comprises predominantly urban areas only.
(c) Comprises the six state capital city statistical divisions.
(d) Includes all of ACT and NT.
Source: Participation in Sport and Physical Activities, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no 4177.0).


Table 3.2 shows the number of players who participated in sports or physical recreation organised by a club or association (e.g. playing tennis as part of a tennis club competition). The table also shows participation in non-organised activity. Examples of this include swimming at the beach with the family, walking for exercise and playing tennis socially. Some players participated in both organised and non-organised activity. Of the 10.5 million participants in sports and physical recreation, a large majority (82.3% or 8.6 million) had undertaken at least some non-organised activity, while about half (42.1% or 4.4 million) had participated in some activity which was organised.

In the 12 months prior to interview in 2006, 27.5% of the population aged 15 years and over had participated in some organised sports or physical recreation. More males (29.0%) participated than females (26.0%), while similar proportions of males and females participated in some non-organised activity (53.2% and 54.3% respectively).

3.2 ADULT PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION(a), Type of participation - 2005-06

Organised only
Non-organised only
Both organised and non-organised
Total organised
Total non-organised
Total participation

NUMBER ('000)

Males
1 004.8
2 916.0
1 280.5
2 285.3
4 196.5
5 205.7
Females
918.6
3 213.0
1 194.8
2 113.4
4 407.7
5 336.4
Persons
1 923.4
6 128.9
2 475.3
4 398.7
8 604.2
10 542.1

PARTICIPATION RATE (%)

Males
12.7
37.0
16.2
29.0
53.2
66.0
Females
11.3
39.6
14.7
26.0
54.3
65.7
Persons
12.0
38.3
15.5
27.5
53.7
65.9

(a) Relates to persons aged 15 years and over who participated in physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport as players during the 12 months prior to interview.
Source: Participation in Sport and Physical Activities, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 4177.0).








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