Activity levels are similar for adults of all ages, although those aged 25-49 years are slightly less active than other adults. Among men, those aged 18-24 years and 65 years or over are the most active, while among women activity levels are lowest for those aged 25-34 years.
Ethnicity
Māori and Europeans have similar levels of physical activity, with just over two-thirds of adults from each of these ethnic groups being active. Activity levels are slightly lower (63%) for Pacific adults, while adults from other ethnic groups are the least active (54%).
Similar proportions of young adults (18-24-year-olds) and older adults (50 years or over) are represented in the highly active category.
Ethnicity, gender and age
Adults spend, on average, over nine hours a week taking part in sport and physical activities. This figure is higher for men just over 10 hours), adults aged 65 years or over (around 11 hours) and Māori (around 11 hours).
Men are active for almost two hours more per week than women (who spend an average of 8.4 hours each week being active). Adults from other ethnic groups spend the least amount of time being active, just over seven hours or almost two hours less per week than New Zealand adults as a whole.
Levels of physical activity among New Zealand adults
| Activity level % |
Women |
Men |
18-24 years |
25-34 years |
35-49 years |
50-64 years |
65+ years |
| Sedentary |
10 |
10 |
7 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
14 |
| Relatively inactive |
23 |
20 |
23 |
24 |
24 |
20 |
16 |
| Inactive |
34 |
31 |
30 |
35 |
34 |
29 |
30 |
| Relatively active |
17 |
14 |
14 |
18 |
17 |
16 |
12 |
| Highly active |
49 |
55 |
55 |
47 |
49 |
55 |
58 |
| Active |
66 |
69 |
70 |
65 |
66 |
71 |
70 |
| Hours active per week (average) |
8.4 |
10.3 |
9.9 |
8.4 |
8.7 |
9.6 |
10.9 |
| Number of adults surveyed |
6941 |
5628 |
1267 |
2535 |
3937 |
2549 |
2279 |
| Activity level % |
Māori |
European |
Pacific |
Other ethnic
groups |
All adults |
| Sedentary |
12 |
9 |
10 |
17 |
10 |
| Relatively inactive |
21 |
21 |
27 |
29 |
22 |
| Inactive |
33 |
31 |
37 |
46 |
32 |
| Relatively active |
14 |
16 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
| Highly active |
53 |
54 |
46 |
38 |
52 |
| Active |
67 |
69 |
63 |
54 |
68 |
| Hours active per week (average) |
10.9 |
9.3 |
8.6 |
7.2 |
9.3 |
| Number of adults surveyed |
1623 |
9846 |
433 |
654 |
12,569 |
Note: See page 5 for the definition of the activity levels. Some totals do not add up to 100% due to rounding. Average hours per week are calculated for people who take part in sport and active leisure
Activity levels vary for men and women of different ages
Young men (18-34 years) are more likely to play sport and be active than young women of the same age, in particular those aged 25-34 years. Activity levels are the same for men and women in the 35-49 years age band. For adults aged 50-64 years, women are more active than men (73% and 68% respectively) but the reverse is true for adults aged 65 years or over (76% of men and 66% of women are active).
Men and women have different patterns of activity levels
Activity levels vary for men and women of different ethnic groups
Activity levels are similar for Māori, European and Pacific men (between 68% and 71% are active), but men from other ethnic groups are less active (57%).
Activity levels are higher for European women (68%) than for Māori (65%), and Pacific women (58%) and other ethnic groups (51%).
The following table shows that European adults are active at a similar level throughout their adult life whereas for both Māori and Pacific adults the proportion of adults who are active falls between 25-34 years. Levels of activity do not actually pick up again until Māori adults reach the 50-64 years age group, but for Pacific adults it picks up in the earlier age group of 35-49 years. It is interesting to compare this to adults from other ethnic groups who, it appears, get more active as they get older. The most active group are those aged 65 years or over.
Activity levels for ethnic groups of different ages
|
Age groups |
|
18-24 yrs % |
25-34 yrs % |
35-49 yrs % |
50-64 yrs % |
65 yrs + % |
|
All adults |
Inactive
|
30 |
35 |
34 |
29 |
30 |
Active
|
70 |
65 |
66 |
71 |
70 |
|
Māori adults |
Inactive
|
26 |
36 |
38 |
28 |
32 |
Active
|
74 |
64 |
62 |
72 |
68 |
|
European adults |
Inactive
|
30 |
32 |
32 |
29 |
30 |
Active
|
70 |
68 |
68 |
71 |
70 |
|
Pacific adults |
Inactive
|
25 |
49 |
38 |
31 |
33 |
Active
|
75 |
51 |
62 |
69 |
67 |
|
Other ethnic groups adults |
Inactive
|
51 |
49 |
43 |
45 |
31 |
| Active |
49 |
51 |
57 |
55 |
69 |
Note: The sample size for Pacific adults aged 65+ years is very small. Use such figures with caution and treat them as only indicative and not conclusive.
Different ethnic groups have different patterns of activity levels
Income and education
There is little difference in levels of activity between adults who live in households with different levels of available income. Adults with a tertiary education are more likely to be active in their leisure time than those adults who have any other types of education or no education, and in particular those adults with no secondary school education.
Activity levels for adults with different levels of education and household income
| Activity level |
Inactive % |
Active % |
Number of adults surveyed |
| No secondary school |
42 |
58 |
809 |
| School education |
33 |
67 |
5585 |
| Tertiary educated |
28 |
72 |
3985 |
| Tech/Trade Cert/Prof. Training |
33 |
67 |
1977 |
| Other |
38 |
62 |
176 |
| Less than $18,000 |
34 |
66 |
2849 |
| $18,001-$36,000 |
32 |
68 |
2861 |
| $36,001-$60,000 |
32 |
68 |
2457 |
| $60,001+ |
29 |
71 |
2453 |
| All adults |
32 |
68 |
12,569 |