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Participation in exercise, recreation and sport in NSW, 2008

All sport and physical activity:

  • 4,488,000 people participated in sport or physical activity in 2008
  • this was a participation rate of 82.6% (approximately four out of every five people aged 15 and over participated in sport or physical in the 12 months in 2008)

NSW had the seventh highest participation rates (82.6%) behind ACT (88.6%), WA (85.1%), Queensland (83.6%), Victoria (83.4%), SA (83.3%) and Tasmania (82.7%). NT had the lowest rate at 81.8%. The average for Australia was 83.4%.

Popular sport and physical activity

The most popular sports/physical activities in NSW in 2008 were:

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

Participation, age and gender

Participation rates tend to decrease with age:

  • 15 - 24 years – 88.3%
  • 25 - 34 years – 84.1%
  • 35 - 44 years – 85.6%
  • 45 - 54 years – 82.7%
  • 55 - 64 years – 80.7%
  • 65 years and over – 73.4%

Participation rates are slightly higher for males than females – 83.8% for all males aged 15 and over compared to 81.4% females.

Although 82.6% of the NSW population aged 15 years and over participated at least once in 2008, about half the population (49.3%) participated the recommended three times a week to achieve a health-enhancing benefit.

Organised sport

  • 2,173,500 people participated in organised sport in NSW in 2008
  • this was a participation rate of 40.0% (just under the national average of 40.8%)
  • this was an increase on the previous year's rate of 36.9%

NSW (40.0%) was seventh out of all States and Territories behind ACT (45.5%), WA (43.1%), Victoria (42.1%), NT (41.4%), Tasmania and SA (both 40.4%) and ahead of Queensland (38.9%).

Footnotes: (a) "organised' sports and physical activities are those organised by a club, association or other type of organisation.

Useful links

Other websites