Purpose
This report provides an update on the main participation indicators in play, active recreation and sport in 2018 by New Zealanders aged 5-plus. Changes year on year between 2017 and 2018 have been noted.
Methodology
This report primarily uses data collected through the Active NZ survey between 5 January 2018 and 4 January 2019 from 5595 young people (aged 5–17) and 25 150 adults (aged 18-plus).
It focuses on:
- how much participation happens in any given week, how many people are participating, and who they are
- how people participate
- how young people allocate their time spent in organised and informal participation
- what motivates participation
- what the barriers are to participation.
To provide more robust analysis of population sub-groups, results are presented using data collected through the Active NZ survey over two years (between 5 January 2017 and 4 January 2019) from 11 599 young people (aged 5–17) and 52 188 adults aged 18-plus) in two instances:
- identifying motivations for participating in the top 12 sports and activities (pages 21 and 22)
- taking a closer look at hurdles (section 6, pages 23–30).
Differences (and similarities) are highlighted between young people and adult participation, as is variation by gender and ethnicity. The Spotlight on the Impact of Socioeconomic Deprivation complements this report. Note that results have been drawn from two separate surveys and data sets: one for young people aged between 5 and 17 and one for adults aged 18-plus. Commentary about differences between young people and adults is based on observations rather than statistical testing between the two data sets.
Within the two data sets, reported differences between the total result and sub-groups are statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level. Significance testing means we can be sure the differences reported are not due to random variation because we are using a sample and not conducting a population census.
Knowing a difference is statistically significant does not mean the difference is important, and only meaningful differences have been commented on.
Data tables accompanying the report contain all base sizes and highlight all statistically significant differences at the 95 percent confidence level. Please note, in some cases, a significant difference is evident between two numbers that appear to be the same or no significant difference can be seen when it may appear there should be one. This is due to rounding and variation in sample sizes.
Key Results
Changes in participation: Comparing 2018 results with 2017
This is the beginning of a new time series on participation in play, active recreation and sport for New Zealanders aged 5-plus. Significant changes in participation indicators between 2017 and 2018 follow.
- Adult weekly participation in play, active recreation and sport has dropped by 1 percent, from 73 percent to 72 percent, and changes have also occurred by gender:
‒ 2 percent drop for females, from 74 percent to 72 percent - A drop has occurred in the average number of sports and activities adults participate in any given week from 2.3 to 2.2.
- Average time spent in weekly participation by adults is consistent, although a 1 percent increase occurred in adults spending less than 30 minutes in weekly participation, from 29 percent to 30 percent. An increase in lowest duration of activity.
‒ 2 percent increase for females, from 28 percent to 30 percent. - For young people, weekly participation, time spent participating, and the average number of sports and activities are unchanged, although changes have occurred by age, gender and ethnicity:
‒ 2 percent drop in weekly participation between ages 12 and 14, from 98 percent to 96 percent
‒ 1.3 hours increase in time spent in weekly participation between ages 15 and 17, from 8.3 hours to 9.6 hours, mainly due to an increase in time spent by males in play
‒ 0.6 drop in the average number of sports and activities participated in by young Asian from 4.5 to 3.9. - No young people participated exclusively through competitive sports and activities in 2018, driven by a drop in participation between ages 12 and 14, from 1 percent to 0 percent.
- Changes have occurred in participation through competitive sports and activities by age, gender and ethnicity:
‒ 4 percent drop between ages 8 and 11, largely driven by a decrease in female participation, from 34 percent to 27 percent
‒ 7 percent drop in participation by young Māori, from 36 percent to 29 percent.