Exploring the covariates of sport participation for health: an analysis of males and females in England

Promotion of health-enhancing physical activity in the sport sector: a study among representatives of 536 sports organisations from 36 European countries

BACKGROUND

It is a common belief that most sports clubs and organisations are primarily focused on elite sports while placing less emphasis on the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA). However, there is a lack of evidence on this topic in the scientific literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the level and correlates of the commitment of sports organisations in Europe to HEPA promotion.

METHODS

Representatives of 536 sports organisations from 36 European countries responded to our survey. A multiple regression analysis was conducted with the commitment of sports organisation to HEPA promotion (0 ["not at all"] - 10 ["most highly"]) as the outcome variable and organisation type ("national sport association" reference group [ref], "European sports federation", "national umbrella sports organisation", "national Olympic committee", "national sport-for-all organisation"), headquarters in a European Union member state ("no" [ref], "yes"), region of Europe ("Western" [ref], "Central and Eastern", "Northern", "Southern"), commitment to elite sports ("low" [ref], "medium", "high"), and awareness of Sports Club for Health (SCforH) guidelines ("no" [ref], "yes") as explanatory variables.

RESULTS

Approximately 75.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71.5, 78.8) of sports organisations were highly committed to elite sports. Only 28.2% (95% CI: 24.4, 32.0) of sports organisations reported a high commitment to HEPA promotion. A higher commitment to HEPA promotion was associated with the national Olympic committees (β = 1.48 [95% CI: 0.41, 2.55], p = 0.007), national sport-for-all organisations (β = 1.68 [95% CI: 0.74, 2.62], p < 0.001), location in Central and Eastern Europe (β = 0.56 [95% CI: 0.01, 1.12], p = 0.047), and awareness of SCforH guidelines (β = 0.86 [95% CI: 0.35, 1.37], p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

From our findings, it seems that most sports organisations are primarily focused on elite sports. Coordinated actions at the European Union and national levels are needed to improve the promotion of HEPA through sports organisations. In this endeavour, it may be useful to consider national Olympic committees, national sport-for-all organisations, and relevant sports organisations in Central and Eastern Europe as role models and to raise the awareness of SCforH guidelines.

Can the association between hypertension and physical activity be moderated by age?

Objectives

Physical inactivity, hypertension and non-communicable diseases are major public concerns across the globe. To our knowledge, there is a lack of research that has investigated the moderating effect of age on the relationship between hypertension and physical activity in developing countries. This study had two objectives: (1) investigating hypertension and sociodemographic factors associated with physical activity and (2) investigating whether age moderates the relationship between hypertension and physical activity.

Methods

Nationally representative data of Malaysia were used to generate cross-sectional evidence. The sample size was 2156 respondents. An ordered probit regression was utilized to assess factors associated with the practice of physical activity.

Results

Respondents aged 40-49 years with hypertension were 7.3% less likely to participate in high-level physical activity when compared to those without hypertension. The probability of having a low level of physical activity was 12.3% higher among hypertensive patients aged ≥60. Males, married individuals, less-educated adults, low-income earners, and individuals who were aware of their BMI, had a higher tendency to indulge in a highly active lifestyle than others.

Conclusion

The effect of hypertension on physical activity was moderated by age. Factors influencing physical activity levels among adults were income, gender, marital status, education, employment status, and BMI awareness.

Can internet use change sport participation behavior among residents? Evidence from the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey

Purpose

The popularization of the internet has promoted the implementation of China's national fitness strategy and created conditions for Chinese residents to participate in sports. The internet is an essential medium for disseminating sports knowledge, and the use of the internet can change sport participation behaviors. Therefore, the internet can be used to popularize sports knowledge and promote the participation of all people in sports and thus improve the health of the entire population. This study attempts to empirically analyse how the use of the internet changes sport participation behavior.

Method

Utilizing data from the 2017 China General Social Survey, a probit model, ivprobit model, and bias-corrected non-parametric percentile bootstrap test were used to analyse the impact of internet use on sport participation behavior.

Results

The empirical results show that internet use significantly increased the probability of participation in sports by Chinese residents. Heterogeneity test results showed that internet use was more effective in promoting sport participation in middle-aged groups, groups of older persons, unmarried groups, and groups with a high school education or above. The mediating effect test results showed that internet use influenced residents' participation in sports by promoting social interaction, leisure and entertainment, and learning and recharging.

Conclusions

The internet has changed participation in sports; specifically, the use of the internet promotes sport participation. Additionally, internet use has a more obvious impact on improving the sport participation behavior of middle-aged, older, unmarried, and middle- and higher-educated individuals. Internet social interaction, internet entertainment and internet learning are effective channels to encourage Chinese residents to participate in sports and improve their health.

The association between fast-food consumption and job-related factors among Russian adults

Time constraints contribute to individuals' dietary choices along with incomes, prices, and preferences. As fast food is prepared and served quickly, it is often preferred to other food options, especially when individuals are under time pressure. This paper focuses on a set of job-related characteristics that could potentially contribute to fast-food consumption choice, and controls for standard socio-demographic, economic, and lifestyle factors. This study uses data from a quantitative household survey on health behavior and medicine of Russian adults conducted in 2017 (n = 4006). The study applies simple probit, ordered probit, and zero-inflated ordered probit models to examine how job-related characteristics are connected to the probability and frequency of fast-food consumption among Russian adults. The results shows that employment is positively associated with both probability and frequency of fast-food consumption. However, for working adults, the decisions to eat fast food, and how frequently it is eaten, are affected by different factors. For example, working part time decreases the probability of fast-food consumption; having more than one job increases the frequency of its intake for fast-food consumers; having canteens with hot meals at work decreases the frequency of fast-food intake. Although job-related factors are significant in all models, marginal effects show that living in large cities, especially Moscow and Saint Petersburg, plays a larger role in the probability and frequency of fast-food consumption because access to various fast-food outlets increases in relation to the size of the settlement.

Motives and Barriers Related to Physical Activity within Different Types of Built Environments: Implications for Health Promotion

Studies have identified individuals’ motives and barriers as main predictors of physical-activity behaviour, while other studies found physical-activity behaviour to be related to characteristics of the built environment. However, studies that have a combined focus on motives and barriers and the built environment are less common. This scoping review aims to provide knowledge about motives and barriers related to physical activity within different types of built environments to mitigate this knowledge gap. A systematic literature search was performed in four scientific databases and yielded 2734 articles, of which 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. The review identified four types of built environments within which motives and barriers were studied, including walkability, cyclist infrastructure, neighbourhood parks and open spaces and sports facilities. Several common motives recur across all four types of built environments, especially easy accessibility and good facility conditions. Conversely, poor accessibility and inadequate facility conditions are common barriers. Our review also showed how some motives and barriers seem to be more context-specific because they were only identified within a few types of built environments. This knowledge may help target future health-promotion initiatives in relation to urban planning and the importance of the environment on physical activity.

Influencing Factors Related to Female Sports Participation Under the Implementation of Chinese Government Interventions: An Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies

Objectives

Regular sports participation is a gendered phenomenon in China. Women have reported much higher constraints than men on time, partner, psychology, knowledge, and interest. This study explores personal, family, lifestyle, and health factors associated with sports participation.

Study Design

This study is a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Data were collected from the national reprehensive China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database (2018) to analyze personal information, family background, lifestyle, and health in relation to women's sports participation. Multiple classification logistic regression was used to quantify the association between independent variables and sports time.

Results

Women with high personal income and education, who were unmarried, in faster economic development areas have more awareness and more time for sports participation. Women who were overweight and self-rated as unattractive spent less time on sports participation. Women with a small family population and no children have more time for sports participation. Less time on the internet and moderate sleep contribute to active sports participation. Women with chronic diseases and high medical costs are less likely to participate in sports.

Conclusions

Negative body aesthetic perception, the burden of family environment, modernization of lifestyle, and the normalization of sub-health are essential factors affecting women's sports participation. The government should understand the inner and outer barriers to women's participation in sports, develop policies and regulations to protect and support women's sports participation, and guide and monitor the effective implementation of women's sports activities.

Physical Activity Behavior During and After COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders-A Longitudinal Study in the Austrian, German, and Italian Alps

Background

In Alpine regions, which are very similar due to their topographical location and their wide-ranging sports offerings, the restrictions on sports activities during the COVID-19 pandemic differed in type and level: while in some regions (Tyrol, South Tyrol, Trentino), all sports activities were forbidden except for walking near the home, in other regions (Upper Bavaria, Vorarlberg), people were allowed to go hiking and running during the first lockdown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the change in physical activity (PA) behavior in different Alpine regions (Upper Bavaria, Vorarlberg, Tyrol, South Tyrol, Trentino) over four periods in 2020, to examine the effects of COVID-19 measures of varying severity on PA behavior and to identify factors associated with a change in PA over time.

Methods

A retrospective online survey was conducted (N = 2975) from December 2020, to January 2021. Using the questionnaire of the Eurobarometer 472 study, PA behavior was measured over four periods: before COVID-19 (March), during the first lockdown (March and April), during the relaxed period (May-October) and during the second lockdown (November and December) in 2020.

Results

During the first (M = 5.0h, SD = 4.5) and the second lockdowns (M = 4.9h, SD = 4.3), the participants (age: 42 years, overly active in sports) engaged less in sports than before (M = 5.9h, SD = 4.8) and during the relaxed period in summer (M = 6.4h, SD = 5.0) (average number of hours per week being physically active). A larger percentage of participants from Alpine regions with severe restrictions (Tyrol, South Tyrol, Trentino) decreased their PA during the first lockdown as compared to participants from Upper Bavaria and Vorarlberg with a less strict first lockdown. Those with psychological distress, male participants, and individuals with decreased physical health and less free time during COVID-19 were more likely to reduce their PA.

Conclusions

Despite a short-term negative effect of COVID-19 restrictions on exercise participation during lockdowns, the majority of respondents returned to their original levels of PA during the relaxed COVID-19 phases. As a comparison of Alpine regions shows, particularly severe COVID-19 measures seem to have reduced PA with potential negative health effects. For the future, policy makers and sports organizations should collaborate to support the population in their PA behavior during pandemics to outweigh restrictions.

Coping with adversity: physical activity as a moderator in adaption to bereavement

BACKGROUND

The adaption of individuals to adverse life events such as bereavement which reduce their subjective well-being is referred to as the hedonic treadmill. This study examined whether previous physical activity moderates the negative impact of bereavement on subjective well-being and how quickly such adaption occurs.

METHODS

The analysis uses data from 13 waves (1996-2015) of the German Socio-Economic Panel (n = 139 097). Subjective well-being is captured with respondents' life satisfaction. Individual fixed effects regression models with three-wave lagged effects and interaction effects for bereavement and previous physical activity were estimated for females and males.

RESULTS

The significant reduction in life satisfaction is partly offset for individuals who were physically active prior to the adversity, suggesting moderation effects of previous physical activity. These effects are larger in absolute value for females, but females also suffered more severely from bereavement. Males' partial adaption through previous physical activity is closer to the pre-event level, while females adapt earlier. More frequent previous physical activity allows both genders to partially adapt more.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous physical activity helps individuals suffering bereavement to partially adapt faster to such adversity, suggesting that physical activity accelerates the hedonic treadmill, though at a different pace for each gender.

Differences in attitudes, behaviours and beliefs towards eating between female bodybuilding athletes and non-athletes, and the implications for eating disorders and disordered eating

Background

Female athletes participating in sports emphasising aesthetics are potentially more prone to developing disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (EDs) than non-athletes, males, and those participating in sports with less emphasis on leanness. Despite this, female bodybuilding athletes have received little attention.

Aim

To investigate differences in eating attitudes, behaviours and beliefs in female bodybuilding athletes and a non-athlete group.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was used with the eating attitude test-26 (EAT-26) distributed to 75 women (49.3% bodybuilding athletes; 50.7% non-athletes) and the female athlete screening tool (FAST) distributed to the female bodybuilding group only.

Results

Demographic characteristics revealed no significant difference in age, stature or body mass index (P = 0.106 to 0.173), though differences in body mass were evident (P = 0.0001 to 0.042). Bodybuilding athletes scored significantly higher (P = 0.001) than non-athletes on the EAT-26 questionnaire, with significantly more athletes (56.8%) being labelled as ‘at risk’ of an ED than non-athletes (23.7%, P = 0.001). Responses to the FAST questionnaire indicated female bodybuilding athletes have high preoccupation with their body mass; engage in exercise to alter their body mass; and disclosed negative perceptions of themselves.

Conclusion

In all, female bodybuilding athletes demonstrate behaviours associated with DE and EDs as well as a preoccupation with nutrition intake, exercise, and strategies to alter their appearance. These findings have important implications for those managing female bodybuilding athletes such as strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, nutritionist and dietitians with respect to detecting DE and EDs as well as minimising the risk factors.

Effects of a 4 week touch rugby and self-paced interval running intervention on health markers in active young men

Background

Modified team sport activity has been proposed as effective exercise modality for promoting markers of health that are comparable or greater than continuous forms of activity. However, research using modified team sports is currently limited to sedentary populations using 2–3 sessions across a minimum of 8 weeks.

Aim

To investigate the effects of a 4-week touch rugby and self-paced interval running intervention on a range of health markers in active men.

Methods

Sixteen participants (age 26.4 ± 6.4 years) were matched for age, demographic and physical activity before completing a single touch rugby (n = 8) or running (n = 8) session per week for 4 weeks. Measures of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate (RHR), body composition and biochemical status were recorded pre- and post-intervention.

Results

ANCOVA analysis revealed between-group differences for impedance (P = 0.027), fat mass (P = 0.008), percentage body fat (P = 0.008) and fat-free mass (P = 0.002), with greater changes after touch rugby. Systolic blood pressure decreased for both groups with greater reductions observed after touch rugby (P = 0.002). No between-group difference was observed for RHR, interleukin-6 or C-reactive protein (P > 0.05). Contrasting internal, external and perceptual loads were observed.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that a single session of touch rugby over a 4-week period elicited greater improvements in body composition and SBP than self-paced running, with both being equally beneficial for improving RHR, diastolic blood pressure and inflammatory status in active young men.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity Participation Trends 2014-2018: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

Objective, the aim is an analysis of sociodemographic factors that had an essential relation with undertaking leisure-time physical activity-LTPA (with particular emphasis on World Health Organization (WHO) health recommendations) by adult Poles from a time-trend perspective. Methods, the paper is based on data retrieved from five large-scale surveys carried out on the representative samples of Poles aged 15-69 in 2014-2018 (n = 7347). In each wave, the Polish long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used. Results, the participation of Poles in LTPA constantly increases (p < 0.001) and the percentage of people meeting the dose of PA required for health recommendations is growing (on average, met by 43.9% of Polish men and 43.5% of women), which indicates a trend of behaviour of citizens of this country. The probability of realisation of WHO norms was determined by sex, age, place of residence and occupational status. Conclusion: it seems reasonable to develop Polish recommendations and guidelines for specific groups, including females and males, those who live in the villages and in the towns, different age groups: children/adolescents, adults (aged 50 to 59-most vulnerable to physical inactivity), the elderly, and various professional groups (especially farmers and physical workers).

Exploring the interrelationship between sport, health and social outcomes in the UK: implications for health policy

Background

Policy agencies are now re-visiting early aspirations that sport, as a form of physical activity, can be an instrument to foster general health and also subjective well-being (SWB). Both of these concepts capture physical and mental health states. SWB also encompasses broader psychological and life satisfaction as well as mood and affect. Past and current policies also identify a link between sport, social capital and SWB.

Methods

Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is undertaken on data from the UK's Taking Part survey to investigate the interrelationships between sport, general health, social capital and SWB.

Results

The SEM shows a simultaneous relationship between sport and SWB. The effect is mediated through general health. The results also show that there is no relationship between social capital and sport but a clear relationship between SWB and social capital.

Conclusions

From a health policy perspective there should be an emphasis on encouraging greater sport participation, despite the difficulties that this poses, because there is a potential 'multiplier' effect on SWB and on general health through mediation. The multiplier effect occurs because once someone engages in sport and has their general health and SWB enhanced, then even further sport participation becomes likely, and subsequent general health and SWB, which would comprise both physical and mental health benefits. To target traditional non participants the research suggests that physical activity should be promoted for enjoyment, with health benefits subsequently following.

Demographic characteristics and type/frequency of physical activity participation in a large sample of 21,603 Australian people

BACKGROUND

Regular physical activity (PA) is imperative for good health and there are many different ways that people can be active. There are a range of health, PA and sport policies aiming to get more people active more often. Much research has been directed towards understanding the determinants of inactivity and PA. However, it is important to understand the differences not only between inactive and active people, but also between activity contexts (for example participation in sport compared to non-sport activities), in order to align policies and strategies to engage market segments who have different participation preferences and accessibility. The aim of this study was to investigate demographic correlates of the propensity to be physically inactive or active within different contexts, and at different levels of frequency of participation.

METHODS

Data from the Australian Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey was used for this analysis. This included information on the type, frequency and duration of leisure-time PA for Australians aged 15 years and over. Reported PA participation in the two-week period prior to the survey was used to allocate respondents into three categories: no PA, non-sport PA only, and sport. Subsequently, sport participants were further categorised according to frequency of participation. Potential demographic correlates included sex, age, education, employment, marital status, language spoken, having a condition that restricts life, children, and socio-economic status.

RESULTS

The survey included 21,603 people. Bivariate chi-squared analysis showed that there were significant differences between the profiles of leisure-time PA participation across all demographic variables, except the variable languages spoken at home. Ordinal regression analysis showed that the same demographic variables were also correlated with the propensity to engage in more organised and competitive PA contexts, and to participate more frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

People who were female, older, married or had a disability were less likely to participate in sport. Therefore when designing PA opportunities to engage those who are inactive, particularly those that are organised by a club or group, we need to ensure that appropriate strategies are developed, and tailored sport products offered, to ensure greater opportunities for increased diversity of participation in sport.

Characteristics of insufficiently active participants that benefit from health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) promotion programs implemented in the sports club setting

BACKGROUND

Health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) promotion programs are implemented in sports clubs. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of the insufficiently active participants that benefit from these programs.

METHODS

Data of three sporting programs, developed for insufficiently active adults, were used for this study. These sporting programs were implemented in different sports clubs in the Netherlands. Participants completed an online questionnaire at baseline and after six months (n = 458). Of this sample, 35.1% (n = 161) was insufficiently active (i.e. not meeting HEPA levels) at baseline. Accordingly, two groups were compared: participants who were insufficiently active at baseline, but increased their physical activity to HEPA levels after six months (activated group, n = 86) versus participants who were insufficiently active both at baseline and after six months (non-activated group, n = 75). Potential associated characteristics (demographic, social, sport history, physical activity) were included as independent variables in bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The percentage of active participants increased significantly from baseline to six months (from 64.9 to 76.9%, p < 0.05). The bivariate logistic regression analyses showed that participants in the activated group were more likely to receive support from family members with regard to their sport participation (62.8% vs. 42.7%, p = 0.02) and spent more time in moderate-intensity physical activity (128 ± 191 min/week vs. 70 ± 106 min/week, p = 0.02) at baseline compared with participants in the non-activated group. These results were confirmed in the multivariate logistic regression analyses: when receiving support from most family members, there is a 216% increase in the odds of being in the activated group (OR = 2.155; 95% CI: 1.118-4.154, p = 0.02) and for each additional 1 min/week spent in moderate-intensity physical activity, the odds increases with 0.3% (OR = 1.003; 95% CI: 1.001-1.006, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that HEPA sporting programs can be used to increase HEPA levels of insufficiently active people, but it seems a challenge to reach the least active ones. It is important that promotional strategies and channels are tailored to the target group. Furthermore, strategies that promote family support may enhance the impact of the programs.

Sport and ageing: a systematic review of the determinants and trends of participation in sport for older adults

BACKGROUND

The global population is ageing. As ageing is often associated with a decline in health, there is a need to further develop preventative health measures. Physical activity can positively influence older adults' (aged 50 years and older) health. Previous research on the relationship between physical activity and health for older adults has mainly focused on physical activity in general, and not specific types of exercise. Due to the social nature of sport, it may assist in improving physical, mental and social health for older adults. Sport, as a form of physical activity, has not been widely explored as a physical activity opportunity for older adults. This review concurrently explored two research questions: the determinants and the trends of sport participation for community dwelling older adults.

METHODS

Two parallel systematic searches of nine electronic databases were conducted in December 2015 for the two research questions. English language quantitative and qualitative studies that provided specific results for community dwelling older adults' sport participation were included and a quality ratings assessment was undertaken.

RESULTS

There were 10,171 studies initially identified for the first research question and 1992 studies for the second research question. This culminated in 18 and 8 studies respectively that met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently mentioned determinants of participation were health and using sport to negotiate the ageing process. The most frequently mentioned trends of sport participation were the effect of historical sport participation on current participation, and sport participation across the lifespan. The main themes for both research questions had contrasting results, for example, participation in sport could improve health, but poor health was also a limitation of sport participation.

CONCLUSIONS

This review demonstrates that older adults are a heterogeneous age group, and therefore require different strategies than other age groups to successfully participate in sport. It is recommended that the main findings from this review are incorporated into specific strategies to develop age appropriate sporting opportunities for older adults, so that sport can be presented as a viable physical activity option for this age group.

How an aging society affects the economic costs of inactivity in Germany: empirical evidence and projections

Background

Aging societies represent a major challenge for health care systems all over the world. As older people tend to be more physically inactive, economic costs of inactivity are likely to increase notably. The present study aims to investigate this relationship between an aging society and economic costs of inactivity using the example of Germany.

Methods

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, this study applied the comparative risk assessment method developed by the WHO to estimate the direct costs of inactivity for the period 2001–2013 differentiated by gender-specific age-groups (15–29; 30–44; 45–64; 65+). Based on population statistics predicting the aging of the German population for the years 2014–2060, this research projects the development of future costs of inactivity and potential effects of interventions promoting physical activity among the German population.

Results

The results reveal an increase in the level of physical activity during the observed period (2001–2013) which compensated the negative effect of aging and resulted in a decline of inactivity costs. The projections for the years 2014–2060 indicate a constant increase in direct per capita costs until 2060 because of an aging society. Scenarios indicating how a short-term reduction of physical inactivity impacts costs of inactivity reveal the crucial role of the oldest age-group in this context.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that the aging of the German population demands further actions and initiatives to promote physical activity, especially for the oldest age-group.

Seasonal variation in sports participation

This study explores indicators describing socio-demographics, sports participation characteristics and motives which are associated with variation in sports participation across seasons. Data were drawn from the German Socio-Economic Panel which contains detailed information on the sports behaviour of adults in Germany. Overall, two different measures of seasonal variation are developed and used as dependent variables in our regression models. The first variable measures the coefficient of (seasonal) variation in sport-related energy expenditure per week. The second variable measures whether activity drops below the threshold as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Results suggest that the organisational setting, the intensity and number of sports practised, and the motive for participation are strongly correlated with the variation measures used. For example, both, participation in a sports club and a commercial facility, are associated with reduced seasonal variation and a significantly higher probability of participating at a volume above the WHO threshold across all seasons. These findings give some impetus for policymaking and the planning of sports programmes as well as future research directions.

Correlates of sport participation in adults with long-standing illness or disability

Background

Little is known about why people with a long-standing illness/disability are less likely to participate in sport than others. This study aimed to identify for the first time sport participation levels and their correlates among Northern Ireland (NI) adults who report a long-standing illness/disability.

Method

Using data collected in the Continuous Household Survey, an annual survey of a random sample of the NI population, during 2007–2011, we examined responses for the total sample, those with a long-term illness/disability and those with no long-term health issues. We conducted univariate binary regression analysis for the whole sample and for those with a long-standing illness or disability, using sport participation as the dependent variable, and then carried significant variables into a multivariate analysis.

Results

The sample included 13 683 adults; 3550 (26%) reported a long-term illness or disability. Multivariate analysis showed that, for the total sample and for those with a long-standing illness or disability, sport participation correlated positively with being male, aged <56 years, having a household car/van, health being ‘fairly good’/‘good’ in the previous year, doing work and living in an urban location. Also, for those with a long-standing illness or disability, being single and less socioeconomically deprived correlated positively with sport participation.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that more focused efforts may promote sport participation for people with a long-standing illness or disability who are female, older, not working, living rurally, married/cohabiting, socioeconomically deprived and report having had poor health in the past year. Our findings should inform public health policy and help in developing initiatives to support sport participation and reduce health inequalities.