Physical activity

Latest release

Contains key statistics and information about exercise and physical activity within Australia

Reference period
2022

Key statistics

  • Almost one in four (23.9%) people aged 15 years and over met the physical activity guidelines
  • Nearly half (46.9%) of employed adults aged 18–64 years described their day at work as mostly sitting

These statistics form part of the National Health Survey 2022. More information on other topics of interest from the survey are available on the National Health Survey 2022 page.

Physical activity can take many different forms and can occur in the home, workplace or other environments. The benefits of regular physical activity include prevention and management of health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Physical activity is also an important contributor for achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle[1].

Physical activity guidelines

This survey measures physical activity against the Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines (2014)[2] and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Young People (5 to 17 years) (2019)[3]. There are separate guidelines for children and young people (5–17 years), adults (18–64 years), and older people (65 years and over). For this analysis, where possible, each guideline has been applied to the relevant age group.

Physical activity guidelines
 Age group (years)
5–1718–6465 years and older
Physical activity60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day150–300 minutes per week of moderate physical activity, OR 75–150 minutes per week of vigorous physical activity, OR an equivalent combination of both per week30 minutes or more of physical activity on most, preferably all, days(a)
Strength and toningThree days or more per weekTwo days of more per weekNo specific guidelines
  1. For this analysis, this has been interpreted as completing 30 minutes or more of physical activity five days in a week and having completed any physical activity on seven days.

For adults who were employed and worked in the week prior to interview, the survey also collects workplace physical activity (moderate and vigorous activity). Unless noted as an exclusion, workplace activity is included in the calculation of physical activity.

The types of physical activity include:

  • Walking for fitness, recreation or sport
  • Walking for transport
  • Moderate activity
  • Vigorous activity
  • Strength or toning exercises.

The differences between activity types are:

  • Moderate activity is activity that causes a moderate increase in heart rate or breathing (e.g. a brisk walk, strength or toning exercises, lifting small boxes and sweeping)
  • Vigorous activity causes a large increase in a person’s heart rate or breathing (e.g. playing basketball, running and lifting heavy boxes)
  • Strength or toning exercise includes lifting weights, resistance training, yoga and pilates. This measure does not include workplace physical activity.

Young people aged 15–17 years

One in twenty (5.6%) young people met the physical activity guidelines in 2022. This has more than doubled since 2017–18 (1.9%). Young males aged 15–17 years were more likely to meet the physical activity guidelines than young females (9.9% compared to 3.7%).

One in six (16.8%) young people did at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day in the last week but it was not always moderate to vigorous activity. One in three (36.4%) young people undertook some physical activity every day in the last week, and one in five (19.5%) did three or more days of strength or toning activities in the last week.

Adults aged 18–64 years

One in five (22.4%) adults aged 18–64 years met the physical activity guidelines in 2022, an increase from one in six (17.0%) in 2017–18. More than half (56.4%) completed 30 minutes of activity on five or more days. One in four (26.6%) undertook strength or toning exercises on two or more days in the last week. Overall, males were more likely to meet the physical activity guidelines (24.9% compared to 19.9%).

Although three quarters (77.6%) of people aged 18–64 years did not meet the guidelines, the majority were active in the week prior to interview:

  • Two in three (67.4%) undertook at least some physical activity on five or more days
  • Three quarters (74.2%) did at least 150 minutes of physical activity in the week.

People aged 65 years and over

One in three (33.4%) people aged 65 years or over met the physical activity guidelines in 2022. Four in ten (43.4%) did at least 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days and three in ten (30.8%) completed at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. One in three (37.6%) did more than 300 minutes of physical activity in the last week, and similarly 40.7% engaged in daily physical activity.

Physical activity and population characteristics

Adults aged 18 years and over living in areas of most disadvantage were less likely than those living in areas of least disadvantage to have:

  • Engaged in some type of physical activity in the last week (83.1% compared to 92.2%)
  • Met physical activity guidelines (21.5% compared to 29.5%).

Adults living in areas of most disadvantage were more likely to have completed zero minutes of physical activity in the last week than those living in areas of least disadvantage (17.2% compared to 7.8%).

  1. A lower Index of Disadvantage quintile (e.g. the first quintile) indicates relatively greater disadvantage and a lack of advantage in general. A higher Index of Disadvantage (e.g. the fifth quintile) indicates a relative lack of disadvantage and greater advantage in general. See Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia, 2016 (abs.gov.au).

Adults living in Outer Regional and Remote areas were more likely than those in Major Cities to have completed zero minutes of physical activity in the last week (18.2% compared to 10.5%). Adults with an educational attainment of Year 10 or below were less likely than those with a bachelor’s degree or above to engage in physical activity in the last week (75.0% compared to 94.0%).

Type of exercise

There are a wide range of physical activities that people aged 15 years and over reported in 2022:

  • Nearly half (48.5%) walked for exercise
  • Nearly half (47.4%) walked for transport
  • One in three (32.8%) did moderate exercise
  • Three in ten (30.5%) completed strength or toning exercises
  • Almost one in five (18.6%) engaged in vigorous exercise.

Workplace physical activity

Adults aged 18–64 years who were employed and worked in the week prior to interview were asked to describe their usual workday. Almost half (46.9%) described their day as mostly sitting, with walking and standing the next most common activities (20.4% and 18.9%).

  • Young people aged 18–24 years were less likely than any other age group to report mostly sitting (22.8%) on a typical workday
  • Males aged 18–64 years were more likely than females to report mostly heavy labour or physically demanding work (19.4% compared to 6.8%).

Data downloads

See the National Health Survey 2022 data downloads for the full suite of available data. Data relating to Physical activity can be found in tables:

  • TABLE 1 Summary health characteristics, 2001 to 2022
  • TABLE 2 Summary health characteristics, by states and territories
  • TABLE 5 Selected long-term health conditions, by health risk factors and health status
  • TABLE 6 Health risk factors, by population characteristics
  • TABLE 11 Physical activity, by age and sex.

Footnotes

  1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Physical activity’, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/behaviours-risk-factors/physical-activity/about; accessed 15/11/2023.
  2. Department of Health and Aged Care, ‘Physical Activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians’, https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians?utm_source=health.gov.au&utm_medium=callout-auto-custom&utm_campaign=digital_transformation; accessed 15/11/2023.
  3. Department of Health and Aged Care, ‘For children and young people (5 to 17 years)’, https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-children-and-young-people-5-to-17-years; accessed 15/11/2023.

Media release

See National Health Survey 2022 media release for more information.

Methodology

Scope

Includes:

  • all usual residents in Australia aged 0+ years living in private dwellings.
  • urban and rural areas in all states and territories, excluding very remote parts of Australia and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

Geography

The data available includes estimates for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

The National Health Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Medications data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Collection method

Face-to-face interview with an Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewer.

Linkage to the Person Level Integrated Data Asset.  

Concepts, sources and methods

Health conditions are presented using a classification which is based on the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10).

History of changes

Full history of changes.

View full methodology
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