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Participation in exercise, recreation and sport in NSW, 2002

All sport and physical activity:

  • 3,915,200 people (just under 4 million) participated in sport and physical activity in 2002
  • this was a participation rate of 76.0% (more than three-quarters of every person aged 15 and over participated in sport or physical in the 12 months in 2002) .

NSW had the 7th highest participation rate behind ACT (85.9%), WA (81.0%), NT (78.9%), Vic (78.5%), Qld (78.0%) and SA (77.8%) and ahead of Tas (75.9%).

Top sports/physical activities in NSW were:

  1. Walking (other than bushwalking)
  2. Swimming
  3. Aerobics/fitness
  4. Golf
  5. Tennis
  6. Cycling
  7. Running
  8. Bushwalking
  9. Soccer (outdoor)
  10. Yoga

Participation decreases with age:

  • 15 - 24 years - 89.0%
  • 25 - 34 years - 80.8%
  • 35 - 44 years - 75.8%
  • 45 - 54 years - 74.5%
  • 55 - 64 years - 69.4%
  • 65 years and over - 62.4%

More males participate than females – 77.8% for all males aged 15 and over compared to 74.2% females

Organised sport in NSW:

  • 2,126,500 people participated in organised sport in 2002
  • this was a participation rate of 41.3%

NSW was 4th out of all states and territories behind ACT (46.1%), NT (44.5%) and WA (42.0%) and ahead of Qld (40.9%), Vic (40.2%), SA (39.3%) and Tas (38.4%).

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