A WSFF Insight Factsheet

Young women and girls’ physical activity This factsheet summarises the recent key findings around young women and girls’ participation in sport and physical activity. It brings together quantitative data from a number of sources including the NHS Information Centre; Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF); Youth Sport Trust (YST); Girlguiding UK; and Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF).

Physical activity - main findings • Just a quarter of girls meet current recommended levels of physical activity a week • Female drop off in sport starts earlier than males’; and the drop off is also more dramatic • Despite PE being compulsory in schools, one in five girls still does no activity in a week. This is twice the proportion of boys • For girls, being fit and healthy is the most popular reason for taking part in PE/sport. Other motivations include working as a team, making friends, being considerate and helping them to think about others • Girls think sports traditionally played by boys, such as rugby and football, are seen (by society) to be more important that sports played by girls

Health Survey for England, 2008 Proportion of young people who take part in recommended levels of physical activity, by gender 29%

Little or no activity

24%

47%

Some activity

44%

24%

Meets recommended levels

32%

Girls aged 2-15

Recommended levels of physical activity • Just a quarter of girls take part in 60 minutes of physical activity every day compared with a third of boys

Boys aged 2-15

Meets recommended levels = at least 60 minutes every day; some activity = 30-59 minutes every day; little or no activity = less than 30 minutes a day

• The proportion of girls taking part in the recommended levels of activity a week declines with age, particularly after the age of 10

Source: NHS The Information Centre, Health Survey for England for 2008. See note 1

Due to methodological differences between the surveys and the different questions asked, it is not possible to compare the different survey results. Further information about the surveys and respondent bases can be found at the back of the factsheet.

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Proportion of young people who take part in recommended levels of physical activity, by gender and age

Physical activity by age

60%

•By 15, half as many girls as boys are doing the recommended levels of activity. (15% v 32% respectively)

50% 40% Girls Boys

30%

• Girls’ interest in informal sport (and games) declines more rapidly than formal sport

20% 10% 0% 2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

• Girls are less likely to have low activity levels if their parents are active

15

Age Source: NHS The Information Centre, Health Survey for England for 2008. Meets recommended levels = at least 60 minutes every day

Participation in formal and informal activity by and age

Girls’ activity levels by parents activity levels

Informal sports/exercise 35%

Formal sports/activities

100%

34%

Low activity

47%

52%

80% Some activity

60% 49%

40%

51% 35%

20% 0% 7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Age Source: NHS The Information Centre, Health Survey for England for 2008 Participated in activity at least once a week. Informal sport/exercise includes: cycling, hopscotch, trampolining, playing around e.g. kicking a ball around, hide and seek, skating, dancing, skipping etc. Formal sport/activities includes: football, rugby, hockey, lacrosse, netball, basketball, handball, cricket, rounders, tennis, badminton, squash, running, jogging, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, work out with gym machines, weight training and aerobics.

43%

Meets recommended levels

16%

13%

15%

Meets recommended levels

Low activity

Meets recommended levels

Father’s activity levels

10% Low activity

Mother’s activity levels

Source: NHS The Information Centre, Health Survey for England for 2008

Children and Young People’s Participation Survey, 2009 Proportion of young people who achieved 2+ hours of organised sport in the last week during the school day by gender and age

56%

53%

All 5-16 year olds

All girls (516)

59%

60%

63%

59%

71%

45%

42%

5-8 years

9-12 years

Girls

13-16 years

All boys (5- 5-8 years 16)

9-12 years

Boys

13-16 years

Source: DCSF, Children and Young People’s Participation in Organised Sport, 2009. Base: All aged 5-16 in years R-11 who attended school or college for exactly 5 days in last week. England only. See note 2

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Proportion of young people who took part in any organised sport in the last week, by gender and age (in or outside school)

77%

91% 73%

89%

80%

72%

90%

91%

83% 49%

31% All 5-19 year olds

All girls 5-8 years (5-19)

9-12 years

13-16 years

17-19 years

All boys 5-8 years (5-19)

Girls

9-12 years

13-16 years

17-19 years

Boys

Source: DCSF, Children and Young People’s Participation in Organised Sport Survey, 2009. Base: All respondents. Data not previously published

Organised sport

The three charts from the Children and Young People’s Participation Survey refer to organised sport (that which is lead by an instructor/coach/teacher – see note 2)

• Girls are less likely than boys to take part in any organised sport a week – 73% compared with 80%. The greatest differences between the sexes occurs from age 13 onwards • Female drop off in sport starts earlier than males’ – beginning at age 9-12 compared with age 13-16 respectively. Not only does it start earlier, but it is also more dramatic, which is why the larger differences between the sexes in the older age groups. Between the ages of 5-8 and 17-19, girls activity drops by 66% (from 91% to 31%). While male drop out is less than half (from 91% to 49%) • With respect to regular activity one in six girls achieve 5 hours + of activity a week (inside and out of school) compared with one in four boys

Proportion of young people who achieved 5+ hours of organised sport in the last week, by gender and age (in or outside school)

20%

All 5-19 year olds

16% All girls (5-19)

22% 12% 5-8 years

9-12 years

Girls

19%

13-16 years

24% 10% 17-19 years

All boys (5-19)

29%

34% 18%

15% 5-8 years

9-12 years

13-16 years

17-19 years

Boys

Source: DCSF, Children and Young People’s Participation in Organised Sport Survey, 2009. Base: All respondents. Data not previously published

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10 % of pupils (5-18 yrs) who take part in 3+ hours of high quality PE and out of hours school sport in a typical week, by gender and year group

61%

57%

53% 51%

29% 28%

62% 41%

17% 15%

a Se c o ry nd ar y

Ye ar

Ye ar

50%

8 Ye ar Ye 9 ar 1 Ye 0 ar 1 Ye 1 ar 1 Ye 2 ar 13

7

6

5

Ye ar

Ye ar

4

3

Ye ar

2

Ye ar

1

Ye ar

66%

46%

64% 67% 68% 56% 50% 55% 60% 61% 44% 39% 33%

Ye ar

Al lp up ils

52%

67% 63% 65%

58%

Pr im

58%

Girls Boys

71% 73%

Source: Department for Education, PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10. England only. See note 3

School provision of physical activity • Almost three in five boy take part in 3+ hours of high quality PE and out of schools sports in a week, compared with just over half of girls • The smallest differences by gender are in years 1 to 7. The gap between the sexes widens as pupils get older, until by Year 13 the difference is 13 percentage points • Overall 78% of girls in years 1-13 participate in at least 120 minutes of curriculum PE, compared with 80% of boys. It looks like there is very little difference overall, and this is true for every year group in primary school However, on entry to secondary school a difference in participation levels by gender starts, rising to a 4 or 5 percentage point differential in years 10 to 13

% of all pupils taking part in 120 minutes of PE in a a typical week by gender and age 91% 90% 80%

94%

83%

Girls Boys

66%

53% 50% 94%

81%

62% 11% 11%

on da ry

7%

8 Ye ar 9 Ye ar 10 Ye ar 11 Ye ar 12 Ye ar 13

Ye ar

7

6

Ye ar

5

Ye ar

4

Ye ar

3

Ye ar

2

Ye ar

1

Ye ar

Ye ar

Al l

pu pi ls

7%

Se c

45%

ar y

49%

Pr im

78%

92% 93% 95% 95% 95% 95% 89% 87%

Source: Department for Education, PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10. England only. Where information given. See note 3

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10 % of pupils (5-18 yrs) involved in inter-school competitive activities by gender and year group

38%

58% 30%

y on da ry

Pr im

ar

13

Se c

11

10

Ye ar

24% 24%

21% 11% 10%

Ye ar

9

8

Ye ar

7

Ye ar

6

Ye ar

5

Ye ar

Ye ar

Ye ar

3

2

Ye ar

Ye ar

Al l

Ye ar

1

pu pi ls

44%

4

68% 57% 53% 60% 62% 48% 43% 40% 35% 28%

40%

32%

12

49% 47% 44%

Ye ar

48%

60%

Ye ar

50%

66%

62%

57% 54%

Girls Boys

73%

Source: Department for Education, PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10. England only. See note 3

School provision of physical activity • Athletics, football and dance are the three most commonly offered sports at secondary school for girls • Sports more likely to be offered to girls than boys include dance, gymnastics, rounders netball hockey, trampolining, cheerleading, yoga and equestrian • Sports more likely to be offered to boys than girls include cricket, basketball, rugby, golf, table tennis, softball, boxing and baseball

Top 10 sports provided at secondary schools for girls 99%

Athletics

98%

Football

97%

Dance Fitness

97%

Rounders

97% 96%

Netball

95%

Badminton

94%

Basketball

92%

Gymnastics Tennis

87%

Source: Department for Education, PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10

Top growth sports in schools

New sports on offer at schools

80% 76% 71% 70% 58%

59% 46%

2009-10

Go lf Ba dm in to Ta n bl e te nn Ru is gb y Le ag ue Ca no ei ng Ar ch er y m ar ti a lA rt s Ro wi ng

cl ub s

44% 41%

36% 35% 31% 29% 27% 26% 21% 17% 15% 12% 14% 12% 7% 4% 2%

Fi tn es Or s ie nt ee rin g Cy cl in g

M ul ti

sk ill s

Te nn is

26%

2003-04

55%

• While there are some core traditional activities on offer by almost all schools (e.g. football, dance and athletics) there are a number of sports that are growing in popularity. In particular, multi-skills and cycling have seen massive increases between 2003-04 and 2009-10

Source: Department for Education, PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10. % of schools offering activities

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Taking Part Child Survey, 2009/10 5-10 year olds

Top 10 sports and physical activities (weekly participation)

Have done any sport In last 4 weeks days

Girls 34%

Swimming Cycling

Girls

83%

87%

2008/09

91%

81%

Boys

2009/10

20%

Boys 48%

Football Swimming

29%

Walking

16%

Cycling

19%

Gym

15%

Walking

18%

Football

9%

Martial arts

9%

Game skills

6%

Gym

6%

Tennis

5%

Tennis

5%

Horseriding

4%

Game skills

5%

Netball

4%

Cricket

5%

Aerobics

4%

Golf

3%

Source: DCMS, Taking Part Child Survey, 2009/10. England only. ‘Football’ includes 5-aside, ‘ swimming’ includes diving or lifesaving, ‘cycling’ includes bmxing and mountain biking, ‘walking’ is non-stop for more than 30 minutes), ‘gym’ includes gym, gymnastics, trampolining or climbing frame, and ‘’game skills’ include hoops, hopscotch, throwing etc, ‘aerobics’ includes keep fit. See note 4

5-10 year olds

• Female participation for 5-10 year olds has declined in contrast, male participation has increased. •Preferred sports for 5-10 year old girls include swimming (34%), cycling (20%) and walking (16%)

11-15 year olds

• There is a tiny increase in sports participation for girls and boys aged 11-15 between 2008/09 and 2009/10 •Netball, gym and walking are the top three sports for girls.

11-15 year olds

Top 10 sports and physical activities (weekly participation)

Have done any sport In last 4 weeks days

Girls Netball

Girls

95%

97%

2008/09

96%

98%

2009/10

Boys

23%

Boys 59%

Football

Gym

19%

Basketball

21%

Walking

18%

Rugby

20%

Swimming

17%

Cycling

19%

Football

16%

Swimming

16%

Badminton

10%

Cricket

16%

Aerobics

10%

Walking

16%

Basketball

9%

Badminton

13%

Cycling

9%

Tabletennis

12%

Rounders

9%

Gym

10%

Source: DCMS, Taking Part Child Survey, 2009/10. ‘Football’ includes 5-aside, ‘ swimming’ includes diving or lifesaving, ‘cycling’ includes bmxing and mountain biking, ‘walking’ is non-stop for more than 30 minutes), ‘gym’ includes gym, gymnastics, trampolining or climbing frame, ‘aerobics’ includes keep fit.

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Voice of the Young Survey, 2007 Top 8 reasons for taking part in PE/sport, by gender

Young women (11-18)

37%

Young men (11-18)

27%

I like to be fit and healthy

24%

27%

It is fun

8% 8%

6% 6%

6% 7%

5% 7%

4% 8%

To develop new skills

To achieve something

I like winning

Favourite lesson at school

I like competing

4%

4%

Great way to make new friends

Source: Youth Sport Trust, Voice of the Young Survey, 2007. See note 5

What do young people enjoy doing?

• Spending time with friends is the preferred activity for almost half of all girls, followed by listening to music and then playing sport. For boys, sport is the preferred activity, and more than twice the proportion of boys as girls say this (31% of boys and 13% of girls)

• For girls, being fit and healthy is the most popular reason for taking part in PE/sport (37%). Not as many boys are drawn by the health benefits with just 27% giving this as their joint top reason for participation alongside it being fun • Girls are less drawn to the competition elements of PE/sport than boys – half as many said their main reason for taking part was because they like competing

Benefits of PE/sport: % of young people who agreed with the following statements, by gender 94% 92%

Helps me to work as part of a team

70% 67%

Helps me to be more considerate

69% 77%

Makes me happier Helps me develop sense of responsibility Gives me a way of expressing myself

• Girls are less likely than boys to say that PE/sport offers the benefit of making them happier and helps them understand their identity

79% 78%

Helps me to make friends

65% 67% 62% 65%

Gives me a sense of belonging

58% 63%

Makes me want to help others

58% 60%

Helps me to think about feelings of others

57% 54%

Helps me to have a voice

52% 57%

Helps me to understand my identity

50% 56%

Benefits to taking part in sport

Young women (11-18) Young men (11-18)

• Girls are more interested than boys in the benefits of working as a team, making friends, being considerate and helping them to think about others

Source: Youth Sport Trust, Voice of the Young, 2007

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Girls Shout Out! 2007/Girls’ Attitudes Survey, 2010 Young women’s views on sport 10-15 year olds

The importance of sport

16-25 year olds

• A study by Girlguiding UK in 2007 found that young women think sports traditionally played by boys, such as rugby and football, are seen to be more important that sports played by girls. This pessimistic view increases with age

72%

69%

•The same study found that for seven in ten 1015 year olds, playing sport and being healthy are very important. However this view declines with age with less than half of 16-25 year olds agreeing with this statement

48%

46%

Sports traditionally played by boys are seen to be more important than sports played by girls

Playing sport and being healthy are very important

Source: Girlguiding UK, Girls Shout Out! Survey, 2007. UK. See note 6

What young women would like to change about how they look – top three responses given

7-11 year olds

11-16 year olds

16-21 year olds

33% 23%

21% 8%

Want to be thinner

14% 6%

9%

Body shape

14%

9%

Teeth

9%

7%

5%

Nothing

Source: Girlguiding UK, Girls’ Attitudes Survey, 2010. Respondents were asked ‘If you could change one thing about the way you look, what would you change?’UK. See note 7

Body confidence • A more recent study carried out by Girlguiding UK in 2010, found a significant proportion of young women could identify at least one thing they would like to change about their appearance – with being thinner, body shape and teeth the three top answers given • The proportion of young women wanting to change how they look increases considerably with age – at age 7-11 23% would change nothing, but by the time they reach 16-21, just 5% are confident enough to say the same thing • Even as young as 7-11, girls are already worrying about their weight – with 8% of them wanting to be thinner. Unfortunately, the number of young women thinking this increases sizably with age. By the time they reach 16-21 – one in three young women wants to be thinner

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

WSFF/BMRB - Omnibus Survey 2008 The top 5 items that young women consider ‘essential to have’ at sports facilities 91% 80%

Privacy e.g. cubicles 62%

Hair dryers Full-length mirrors Free towels Music

40% 31% 36% 29% 18%

10-15 year olds 16-20 year olds

25% 25%

Source: WSFF, BMRB Omnibus Survey, 2008.. Great Britain only. See note 8

How can sports facilities be improved to encourage more young women to get involved? • Privacy and hair styling is a particular issue for school-age girls – 91% said changing cubicles were

essential, 62% said hair dryers and 31% said full length mirrors

• When WSFF asked young women to consider how sports facilities could learn from shops, providing clean changing rooms was the most popular answer given • For 10-15 year olds friendlier helpful staff and hair styling facilities were also high on their list, while for older girls having a range of things to do in one place and the ability to try before you buy were popular responses

Learning from the shopping experience – what would encourage more girls to take part in sport? Top 5 answers for young women 10-15 year olds 16-20 year olds 57%62%

Clean changing rooms

43%43%

Friendlier helpful staff

43% 29%

Hair styling facilities

36%34%

47% 31%

Better areas to Range of socialise things to do in one place

29%

44%

Discounts

45% 27% The ability to try before you buy

41% 24% Longer/better opening hours

14%19% Shuttle buses

12%15% Celebrities advertise services

Source: WSFF, BMRB Omnibus Survey, 2008. Question asked ‘If sport facilities were to learn from shops, which of the following do you think would encourage more women and girls to take part in sport?’

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010

Notes 1 Data taken from NHS Information Centre Health Survey for England (HSE) 2008. Children aged 13-15 were asked questions directly about their physical activity, while the parents of children aged 2-12 were asked the questions on the child’s behalf. Existing literature suggests that children are less likely that adults to accurately report physical activities. A total of 7,521 young people aged 2-15 were interviewed in 2008. England only. 2 Data taken from the DCSF Children and Young People’s Participation in Organised Sport Omnibus Survey, 2009. ‘Organised Sport’ is defined as ‘sport, dance or other physical activity which is organised and led by an instructor like a coach, teacher, sports leader or someone else, including any training for events or competitions’. ‘Outside the school day’ is defined as ‘either before school starts or after lesson ends including the weekend’. ‘In and out of school’ is defined as ‘both during the school day i.e. during lesson time, including PE lessons, lunchtime, or break times and outside the school day’ as described above. Respondents are asked to recall the previous seven days of activity not including the day on which the interview took place. See table below for bases. England All respondents = 11,821 Male

Age 5-8

Age 9-12

Age 13-16

Age 17-19

5,878

1,714

1,581

1,544

1,039

Female

Age 5-8

Age 9-12

Age 13-16

Age 17-19

5,943

1,438

1,567

1,815

1,123

Those aged 5 to 16 in years R-11 who attended school or college for exactly 5 days in last week = 6,267 Male

Age 5-8

Age 9-12

Age 13-16

3,177

1,222

1,150

805

Female

Age 5-8

Age 9-12

Age 13-16

3,090

1,027

1,113

950

3 Data taken from the Department for Education (formerly DCSF) PE and Sport Survey, 2009/10. All partnership schools in England were surveyed with responses from 21,436 schools (99.8%) and 357 FE colleges (99.4%). ‘PE’ is the planned teaching and learning programme in curriculum time that meets the requirements of the national curriculum for physical education. ‘High quality’ is defined as ‘producing young people with the skills, understanding, desire and commitment to continue to improve and achieve in a range of PE, sport and health-enhancing physical activities, in line with their abilities’. ‘School sport’ includes any activity that requires physical skilfulness and is part of the school’s planned formal, semi-formal, supervised or led provision. School sport typically takes place out of school hours. England 4 Data taken from the DCMS Taking Part Child Survey 2009/10. Boys, and girls age 5-15 were asked about their engagement and non-engagement in sport activities during the four weeks prior to interview. To count, the respondent must have participated in the activity for at least 30 minutes. England 5 Data from the Youth Sport Trust’s Voice of the Young Survey, 2007. Base = 1,122 young people aged from under 11 to 18; 524 boys and 598 girls. Great Britain 6 Data taken from Girlguiding UK Girls Shout Out! Survey, 2007. Bases: girls aged 10-15 =1,039; girls aged 16-25 =581. UK 7 Data taken from Girlguiding UK Girls’ Attitudes Survey, 2010. Around 1,200 girls aged 7-21 were asked their attitudes to key social, political and economic issues. UK

8 Data taken from the WSFF’s BMRB Omnibus Survey, November 2008. Bases: girls aged 10-15 =56; young women aged 16-20 = 62. Great Britain

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation 3rd Floor, Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London WC1B 4SE Tel: 020 7273 1740 Email: [email protected] www.wsff.org.uk

Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation

Young women and girls’ physical activity: December 2010