UK Children’s Activity Levels: A Mixed Picture. According to Sport England’s latest Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, only 47% of children in England meet the Chief Medical Officers’ guideline of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. That means over half of children are not getting enough movement to support their physical and mental wellbeing.
Key Trends:
- Gender gap: Boys (51%) are more likely to be active than girls (44%).
- Age matters: Younger children (ages 5–6) are the most active (51%), while activity drops sharply in ages 7–9 (40%).
- Socioeconomic divide: Children from the least affluent families are 11% less likely to meet activity guidelines than those from the most affluent.
- Ethnic disparities: White British and White Other children are the most active, while Asian and Black children show significantly lower activity levels.
Global Activity Levels: A Widespread Challenge
The Global Matrix 4.0 report by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance reveals that physical inactivity is a global issue. Across 57 countries, most received poor grades for overall physical activity, with girls and older children consistently less active.
Global Highlights:
- Only 20–40% of children worldwide meet recommended activity levels.
- Girls are less active than boys in nearly every country surveyed.
- Activity declines with age, especially during adolescence.
- Socioeconomic and cultural factors heavily influence participation in sport and active play.
Why It Matters
Low activity levels aren’t just a health concern — they’re a developmental risk:
- Cognitive impact: Active children show better concentration, memory, and academic performance.
- Social skills: Movement-based play fosters teamwork, confidence, and emotional regulation.
- Long-term health: Early inactivity increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
More on Activity Levels
If you’d like more information on this topic, or you would like to look at implementing our programme into your setting, Contact us. Stretch-n-Grow is a Worldwide Programme
