Australian Physical Activity Participation Rates - 2001 to 2008

Since 2001, the Australian Sports Commission has conducted an annual Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS) looking at participation in physcial activity for persons aged 15 years and over. In general:

• there has been a significant increase in the percentage of the population participating in regular physical activity (more than 3x per week on average, for any physical activity) - from37.2% in 2001 to 49.3% in 2008
• the bulk of this participation is in non-organized physical activity - increasing from 27.9% in 2001 to 39.8% in 2008; participation in organized physical activity increased from 9.4% in 2001 to 12.1% in 2008.
  

Note that organized physical activity is hosted by a facility, centre, club or organization that required payment for participation; a workplace; a school; or any other type of organization.

Physical Activity Participation Rates - 2001 to 2008

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Regular Participation (all PA)	37.2	38.8	45.8	47.2	44.2	42.8	43.5	49.3
Non-Organized PA	27.9	29.1	34.6	37.0	34.1	33.8	33.6	39.8
Organized Physical Activity male female	9.5 9.3	11.0 9.7	11.5 11.6	11.5 11.2	11.5 11.1	9.9 9.5	10.9 11.6	12.5 11.7

The following table looks at the frequency of participation for participants only (# times per week). Increased participation has been recorded primarily for organized physical activity.

Median Frequency of Participation - Participants Only - 2001 to 2008

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Non-Organized PA	2.4	2.8	3.0	3.0	2.9	3.0	3.0	3.0
Organized PA	1.4	1.3	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.3	1.8	1.8

Over the eight years of the annual survey, Australia has witnessed growth in the number of participants in all physical activities except tennis and golf.

% Change in Number of Participants in Various Activities - 2001 to 2008

listed in order of # participants (most popular at top of column)

Top 10 Non-Organized Activities	% change 08 over 01	Top 10 Organized Activities	% change 08 over 01
Walking	49.8	Aerobics/Fitness	35.1
Aerobics/Fitness	152.5	Golf	-8.1
Swimming	-0.5	Football (outdoor)	50.3
Cycling	35.9	Netball	-1.2
Running	57.1	Tennis	-18.3
Bushwalking	33.5	ouch Football	19.3
Tennis	-14.7	Basketball	6.6
Golf	8.2	Australian Rules Football	36.4
Weight Training	49.3	Swimming	4.6
Fishing	6.2	Cricket (outdoor)	23.2

Source: http://www.ausport.au/_data/assets/pdf_file/0004/3004384/ERASS_Report_2008.pdf