press release: ukactive
Gym and fitness activities continue to drive children’s activity levels but more needs to be done
ukactive has issued the following statement in response to Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2024–2025
Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “Today’s Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People Survey shows some growth in the number of children meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s physical activity guidelines, much of which is driven by the number of children engaged in gym and fitness activities.
“Over the past year, more than 1.7 million children and young people have taken part in gym and fitness activities, an increase of 37,000 compared to last year and a 12.7% rise since records began in 2017-2018.
“The survey shows gym and fitness are the fifth most popular activities for children in school years seven to 11, with 32.7% now taking part (an increase of 8.7% increase since 2017-18).
“The latest figures are a reminder of the essential role gyms, pools and leisure centres are playing in driving children’s activity levels, with ukactive’s Next Generation strategy setting an ambition to reach one million more children through our members’ facilities by 2030.
“But we cannot ignore that almost a third of children and young people are doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a day and this survey also shows a decline in those swimming, which should be an alarm bell for the Government.
“Our sector has been working tirelessly to improve children’s activity levels and the Government must work with our sector to leverage the popularity of these services to reach every child and young person in the UK.
“Furthermore, our Opening School Facilities programme helped more than quarter of a million pupils to be active outside of school hours within schools and local community facilities such as gyms, pools and leisure centres over a three-year period. “Despite its success, this programme was not renewed by the Government, representing a lost opportunity to improve the health and happiness of our children and young people.
“We need to see bolder ambition to tackle these inactivity levels and our sector is ready to work with the Government to co-create a clear strategy and plan to get more children and young people active.”
Find out more about ukactive’s Next Generation strategy here.
Read Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People survey here.
Cameron Saunders, CEO
Marianne Boyle, director of membership and sector development
Clemency Lion, director of research, policy and communications
