SINGAPORE: Singaporeans’ participation in physical activity and sports will hit a record high in 2022, according to the annual Sports Singapore (SportSG) survey results released on Tuesday 27 June.
In last year’s survey, 74% of respondents said they exercise or participate in sports at least once a week. More than half of them participated in activities at least twice a week.
The overall figure of 74 percent is an improvement from 72 percent in 2021 and 69 percent in 2020. It’s also significantly higher than the 54 percent in 2015, when the National Sports Participation Survey was first conducted.
The top five activities performed among participants last year were walking (40%), jogging (29%), gymnastics (15%), cycling (11%) and swimming (9%).
This is Singapore’s only national survey on physical activity and sport participation. The survey was conducted continuously throughout the year and involved at least 4,500 of her residents, including Singapore citizens and permanent residents over the age of 13.
Insights from research help authorities develop sports programs and initiatives for residents.
Sports SG CEO Alan Goh told reporters at a media event on Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic had had a positive impact on participation levels. .
“Participation increased significantly during the pandemic because people had time and just wanted access to facilities,” he says.
“People were at home and had time to actually focus on sports, so we took advantage of that and came up with a program.”
How to sustain such levels of participation will be a challenge as more people return to offices after the pandemic, Goh said.
“My team wants to keep pushing the boundaries to see how this participation can be maintained or even increased,” he added.
“I like to think that the more we move in this direction, the better it will be for individuals. If people can stay healthy, it will be good for the healthcare system.”
Lee Hoi Chang, head of SportSG’s strategy group, said research has revealed over the years that there is a certain percentage of the population that does not participate in sports or exercise for various reasons.
In the future, the agency aims to increase the frequency and quality of exercise and sports among participants.
“We know this bar is high right now, and we want to maintain it despite any lifestyle changes that may come,” she said. The findings are a step in the right direction, he added.
“This gives us a good start towards building a healthy SG (Singapore). There is enough research to link physical activity with health outcomes,” Lee said. Told.
The results are also a good indicator of what the common good is, she noted.
“It will also give us the opportunity to see what else we can offer in terms of programs and events, and I am sure it will be well received,” she added.
“It’s encouraging for us, and I think these are all good possibilities (results) to be seen by more active people.”
