Popular Activities
The information presented in this section, ‘Popular Activities’, indicates the percentage of all adults who participated in a specific activity, irrespective of the intensity or duration of the activity undertaken. Also, participation levels are reported for three timeframes: over 12 months, per month and per week.
The 20 Most Popular Sport and Recreation Activities Participated in Over 12 Months
Table showing the 20 Most Popular Sport and Recreation Activities Participated in Over 12 Months
| Sport and Recreation Activity |
% |
Number of New Zealand adults participating |
| Walking |
64.1 |
2,100,278 |
| Gardening |
43.2 |
1,414,633 |
| Swimming |
34.8 |
1,139,812 |
| Equipment based exercise1 |
26.5 |
868,271 |
| Cycling2 |
22.7 |
745,183 |
| Fishing3 |
19.3 |
633,769 |
| Jogging/Running |
17.5 |
574,109 |
| Dance4 |
16.8 |
549,112 |
| Golf |
12.7 |
416,223 |
| Tramping |
9.4 |
306,343 |
| Tennis |
9.3 |
304,675 |
| Pilates/Yoga |
8.9 |
290,753 |
| Aerobics |
8.5 |
277,866 |
| Cricket5 |
7.3 |
237,965 |
| Football5 |
6.9 |
227,265 |
| Touch Rugby |
6.7 |
219,952 |
| Netball5 |
6.4 |
209,769 |
| Canoeing/Kayaking |
6.4 |
209,652 |
| Basketball5 |
6.4 |
209,428 |
| Snow Sports6 |
6.3 |
206,073 |