General Authority for Statistics Announces Physical Activity Statistics for Saudi Arabia in 2024
1 Dec 2024
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has released the results of the Physical Activity Statistics Bulletin for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 2024.
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The bulletin revealed that 58.5% of individuals aged 18 and above engage in physical activity for 150 minutes or more per week across the Kingdom. Meanwhile, 18.7% of children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 practice physical activity for 60 minutes or more daily.
The data showed that males are more active than females, with 23.2% of males practicing physical activity compared to 14% of females. The percentage of non-Saudi individuals engaging in physical activity reached 62.5%, compared to 54.1% among Saudis.
The age group between 30 and 39 years has the highest level of physical activity (150 minutes or more weekly) at 62.6%, while individuals aged 80 and above were the least active at 12.2%. For children and adolescents aged 5 to 17, 18.7% engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, while 35.3% spend more than three hours a day in sedentary activities, such as watching television or using electronic devices, excluding school hours. Non-Saudi children and adolescents showed slightly higher physical activity levels (19.4%) compared to their Saudi counterparts (18.5%).
For adults, the bulletin indicated that transportation activities, such as walking or cycling for commuting purposes, were the most popular type of physical activity at 56%. This was followed by leisure activities at 39%, while work-related physical activities ranked last at 31%.
The bulletin also highlighted that Al-Baha region recorded the highest percentage of children and adolescents engaging in 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily, at 30.4%. Riyadh region recorded the lowest percentage at 14.7%.
The Physical Activity Statistics Bulletin is a valuable resource for understanding physical activity levels among Saudi Arabia’s population. The bulletin is based on data from the 2024 National Health Survey, the 2024 Women and Children’s Health Survey, and population estimates provided by GASTAT for the same year. Indicators of physical activity are analyzed based on self-reported data from adults (18 years and older) and children (5 to 17 years), providing a comprehensive picture of lifestyle and sports habits in the Kingdom for the year.
The data showed that males are more active than females, with 23.2% of males practicing physical activity compared to 14% of females. The percentage of non-Saudi individuals engaging in physical activity reached 62.5%, compared to 54.1% among Saudis.
The age group between 30 and 39 years has the highest level of physical activity (150 minutes or more weekly) at 62.6%, while individuals aged 80 and above were the least active at 12.2%. For children and adolescents aged 5 to 17, 18.7% engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, while 35.3% spend more than three hours a day in sedentary activities, such as watching television or using electronic devices, excluding school hours. Non-Saudi children and adolescents showed slightly higher physical activity levels (19.4%) compared to their Saudi counterparts (18.5%).
For adults, the bulletin indicated that transportation activities, such as walking or cycling for commuting purposes, were the most popular type of physical activity at 56%. This was followed by leisure activities at 39%, while work-related physical activities ranked last at 31%.
The bulletin also highlighted that Al-Baha region recorded the highest percentage of children and adolescents engaging in 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily, at 30.4%. Riyadh region recorded the lowest percentage at 14.7%.
The Physical Activity Statistics Bulletin is a valuable resource for understanding physical activity levels among Saudi Arabia’s population. The bulletin is based on data from the 2024 National Health Survey, the 2024 Women and Children’s Health Survey, and population estimates provided by GASTAT for the same year. Indicators of physical activity are analyzed based on self-reported data from adults (18 years and older) and children (5 to 17 years), providing a comprehensive picture of lifestyle and sports habits in the Kingdom for the year.
