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CHAPTER FOUR DIFFERENCES RELATING TO DEPRIVATION
Participation
4.1 There are stark differences in participation levels in terms of income 27 - particularly in the proportions who never exercise. See Figure 14 below. Over a third of those in the lowest two income brackets never exercise (39% of those with a household income of up to £8,000 per annum and 35% of those with a household income of £8,000-12,000 never exercise) compared with just 5% of those with an income of more than £35,000 a year. Similarly, 28% of those living in the most deprived areas never exercise compared with 12% of those in the least deprived areas.
4.2 There are clearly links between age and deprivation which explain some of these differences, but even within many age bands, deprivation level (and housing tenure, which is closely linked with deprivation) are good predictors of participation. For example, looking just at those aged 60 to 74, 57% of those in socially rented housing exercise less than once a month compared with 67% of other respondents. Among those aged 25 to 34 and those aged 75 and over, levels of deprivation (based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 28) are the best predictors of participation.
Figure 14: Frequency of exercise by annual household income (% of respondents)
How often do you take part in sport, exercise or any physical activities these days?
Base: All (1,531), up to £8,000 p.a. (342), £8,001-£12,500 (288), £12,501-£20,000 (297), £20,001-£35,000 (338), £35,000+ (266)
Reasons for exercising
4.3 Those in the least deprived areas are more likely than those in the most deprived areas to be exercising because they want to keep fit (83% compared to 65%) or because they want to relieve stress/relax (52% compared with 41%). There were no other significant differences in relation to deprivation levels.
Reasons for not exercising
4.4 Although more people in deprived areas were not exercising, reasons for not exercising were broadly similar across different groups. Those in the most deprived areas were slightly more likely to give health as a reason (53% of those in the 20% most deprived areas compared with 50% in the 20% least deprived areas) and less likely to give time pressures as a reason (43% compared with 50%). Motivational reasons affected more people in deprived areas (21% compared with 13%). Perhaps surprisingly, however, those living in the most deprived areas were no more likely to give reasons relating to the accessibility or availability of facilities (13% of respondents in the 20% most deprived areas cited problems relating to facilities compared with 14% of those in the 20% least deprived areas). Specifically, they were no more likely to say 'costs too much' (8% of those in the most deprived areas mentioned this compared with 9% in least deprived areas).
Views on exercising more often
4.5 Among those who exercise less than several times a week, those in most deprived areas were just as likely as those in the least deprived areas to say they would like to exercise more and intended to do so in the next 30 days. Similarly, there were no significant differences in the numbers who said they did not want to. Where there was something of a difference was in the 'contemplation' stage: those in the least deprived areas were more likely to say they intended to exercise more in the next six months (rather than 'at some stage but not in the next 6 months).
Encouraging people to exercise more
4.6 As discussed above, people living in more deprived areas were no more likely than other respondents to say that the accessibility of facilities was a reason for not exercising - and they were no more likely to say that cheaper admission prices or facilities would make a big difference to their participation.
4.7 However, they were more likely to say that a safer neighbourhood would make a difference: 20% in the most deprived areas mentioned this, compared with 9% in the least deprived.
4.8 More of those living in the least deprived areas wanted longer opening hours (27% compared with 12%) - perhaps because they are commuting longer distances to work - and someone to give them tailored advice on what to do (24%, compared with 12%).
Attitudes towards sport and physical activity
4.9 The most notable differences in attitude were that those living in the most deprived areas were not as strongly convinced of the benefits of exercise. Lower numbers in these areas strongly agreed that "being physically active is good for your physical health" (73% compared with 85% of those in the least deprived areas), that it is "good for your mental health" (66% strongly agreed compared with 78%), that it "gives you more energy" (64% strongly agreed compared with 72%) or that it is "enjoyable" (56% compared with 66%).
4.10 This perhaps suggests that health communications stressing the benefits of being physically active should be targeted at deprived areas.
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