Engage with data that shapes England's fitness landscape by conducting insightful surveys and utilizing innovative tools.
Topics covered
Understanding the patterns of physical activity in England is essential for fostering healthier communities. The Active Lives surveys play a pivotal role in this endeavor, providing a comprehensive snapshot of how individuals engage in sports and physical activities. Two distinct surveys are conducted each year: one for adults and another for children and young people, enabling a thorough analysis of activity levels across different demographics.
Since their inception, the Active Lives Adult and Active Lives Children and Young People surveys have yielded invaluable insights into the nation’s health trends. These surveys reveal how various factors influence participation in physical activities. This article explores these surveys and the tools available for analyzing the data.
Active Lives surveys: a closer look
Launched in November 2015, the Active Lives surveys serve as a cornerstone for understanding the physical activity landscape in England. These surveys capture a wealth of data, allowing stakeholders to track trends over time.
The Active Lives Online platform provides users with access to detailed information, enabling them to explore the data collected since the surveys began.
Historic context: Active People Survey
Before the Active Lives surveys took center stage, the Active People Survey gathered adult participation data from October 2006 to October 2015. This predecessor laid the groundwork for the current surveys and continues to serve as a resource for understanding long-term trends in physical activity.
Tools for data exploration
In addition to the surveys, various tools facilitate a deeper understanding of physical activity patterns. The Activity Check-In tool monitors shifts in behavior and attitudes related to sport and exercise among both adults and youth. This ongoing evaluation is crucial in a rapidly changing world, allowing for timely adjustments to community programs and policies.
Active Places: a national sports facility database
The Active Places database is another essential resource, providing a comprehensive inventory of sports facilities across England. Updated daily, this database ensures that information regarding available amenities remains current and accessible. Local authorities and national governing bodies can utilize the Active Places Power toolkit to analyze facility provision, guiding investments and strategic planning in the sports sector.
Promoting inclusivity through data
The extensive data collected also highlights disparities in participation. The Moving Communities initiative aims to assist local authorities and leisure providers in evaluating the performance of public leisure centers, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to benefit local populations. This initiative emphasizes the importance of understanding community needs to drive positive change.
Furthermore, the Local Area Insights tool helps stakeholders gather evidence to support grant applications and advocate for improved facilities. Although the Market Segmentation tool is no longer available, the Inequalities Metric provides insights into groups facing barriers to physical activity, ensuring targeted efforts to address these challenges.
Funding and its impact on health
A critical aspect of fostering physical activity is the availability of funding, which correlates directly with community engagement in sports. The OpenActive initiative seeks to make opportunity data accessible, detailing when and where physical activities are available, thus enabling individuals to find sessions that suit their needs. The commitment to transparency is underscored by the publication of investment data from 2009 to 2025.
A report in 2025 revealed that sport and physical activity generates an astounding social value of £122.9 billion in England. This figure highlights the extensive benefits of an active population, ranging from enhanced well-being to significant healthcare savings. The overall social return on investment is impressive, with every pound spent on community sport yielding a return of £4.38.
Since their inception, the Active Lives Adult and Active Lives Children and Young People surveys have yielded invaluable insights into the nation’s health trends. These surveys reveal how various factors influence participation in physical activities. This article explores these surveys and the tools available for analyzing the data.0
