Adult Physical Activity JSNA (2025)

1. Key findings

In Cheshire West and Chester:

• More adults are physically active compared to North West and England average.
• Less adults are inactive compared to North West and England average.
• Women are less active than men
• People living with a disability and less active than those without
• Higher deprivation correlated with higher inactivity
• The 35-44 age group are the least active (CW&C survey respondents)
• More than half of working age residents are sedentary for ≥ 6 hours per day on working days

2. Barriers to being active

• Barriers to being active include ‘lack of time’, ‘lack of energy’, ‘cost and not being able to afford to pay for activities’, ‘health issues’
• Far more females cite ‘lack of confidence’ as a barrier to being active than males.
• More males than females reported doing ‘as many activities at they wanted to.’

3. Places to be active:

• Roads and streets are the most frequently used place to be active by respondents, followed by garden, the gym and woodlands.
• Parks and greenspaces are used less regularly but by many people
• Males use almost all the assets and spaces available more than females, the exception is community halls which are used by a higher percentage of females.
• ‘More free/affordable activities’, ‘local walking, wheeling, or cycling’, ‘local activities’ ‘better availability or timing of activities,’ ‘someone to be active with’ and ‘improved lighting in parks or open spaces’ would support more people to be active.

4. Activities of interest:

• Walking, yoga, pilates, swimming, classes e.g. spinning, Zumba, gym, dancing and cycling
• More males were interested in cycling, sports such as football, netball, and cricket, and running than females
• More females were interested in dancing, swimming, yoga and classes e.g. Zumba, tha males

5. Service use:

• Brio attracts membership from more females than males.
• Working age members make up the majority of Brio membership across all types (full, PAYG, WorkFit).
• Nature-based activities are positive for engaging residents in activity and can have a positive impact on wellbeing.
• There is considerably more male adult players registered with Cheshire FA than females. Membership numbers decline with age.
• Parkruns across the borough engage over 1,000 residents each week

6. Active travel:

• Walking or wheeling is a popular way to be active for all, regardless of age and sex.
• The majority of respondents stated that they do not cycle. More males than females do cycle and more frequently.
• In Cheshire West and Chester, a smaller proportion of working age residents walk or wheel to work than the England average. Fewer residents cycle to work compared to the England average, but more than the North West average.

7. Limitations:

• CW&C Physical Activity and Movement Survey was not representative, 75% female, majority age 35-64, vast majority considered themselves White British, most were educated to a high level (had at least an undergraduate degree).
• Survey did not collect information on disability and could not be analysed by geography
• Data from a small number of partners.
• There was limited use of the focus group template, despite partners stating that they would carry these out.
• Limited local insight in terms of disability and other inclusion groups.