A summary of changes over time
Leisure participation
Participation in selected leisure activities
In 2002 the General Household Survey collected data about adult participation in a range of selected leisure activities.
The most popular of the selected activities in the four weeks before interview was watching television (99 per cent), followed by listening to the radio (88 per cent). These participation rates have been constant since 1996. The proportion of adults who said they listened to records or tapes has increased steadily over the last 25 years from 62 per cent in 1977 to 83 per cent in 2002. The proportion of adults who read books was the same in 2002 as in 1996 (65 per cent).
Proportion of adults who had participated in the arts in the 4 weeks before interview: GB, 2002
In terms of adult participation in the arts, it was reported that in the four weeks before interview: - 11 per cent had sang or played a musical instrument; - 11 per cent had danced; - 9 per cent had painted, or drew or did printmaking or sculpture; - 4 per cent had written stories, plays or poetry; - 3 per cent had voluntarily helped with the running of an arts/cultural event or organisation; and - 2 per cent had performed in a play, drama or rehearsed for a performance.
There were differences in participation rates in the arts by age and sex. Men and women in the youngest age group (16 to 19) were the most likely to have performed in a play, painted or written stories, plays or poetry. Participation rates for performing in plays and painting decreased with age. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to have been dancing (14 per cent compared with 8 per cent). The peak ages for dancing were 16-19 for women (33 per cent) and 20 to 24 for men (15 per cent).
Women were more than twice as likely as men to have attended a leisure or recreational class (10 per cent of women compared with 4 per cent of men)
For more detailed information, please download the Sports & leisure PDF on the right-hand side of the page.
Source: Sport and Leisure module, Living in Britain 2002, published 2004
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Households