Sport is often acknowledged as an important part of the Australian cultural identity and despite Australia’s relatively small population, it performs considerably well on the international sporting stage. Among Australia's favorite sporting codes are Rugby, Netball, Cricket, and Australian Rules Football (AFL), however when it comes to sport participation, individual sports dominate the top ten preferred sports in Australia. In 2020 a survey of over 20,000 respondents named recreational walking as the top participation sport, with 9.88 million regular participants, followed by fitness/gym and swimming.
In 2018, around a quarter of Australian children were overweight or obese. Australia ranks highly against other developed countries in terms of proportion of overweight and obese population. In response to these concerning numbers, Australian policy makers have recognized the potential sport participation can have to curb obesity rates, and a range of programs and initiatives are available to encourage sports participation in both children and adults.
Number of people participating in sports in Australia 2020, by type
(in 1,000s)
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ASC, & Clearinghouse. (April 30, 2021). Number of people participating in sports in Australia 2020, by type (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/
ASC, und Clearinghouse. "Number of people participating in sports in Australia 2020, by type (in 1,000s)." Chart. April 30, 2021. Statista. Accessed May 28, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/
ASC, Clearinghouse. (2021). Number of people participating in sports in Australia 2020, by type (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 28, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/
ASC, and Clearinghouse. "Number of People Participating in Sports in Australia 2020, by Type (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Apr 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/
ASC & Clearinghouse, Number of people participating in sports in Australia 2020, by type (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/879755/australia-sports-participants-by-type/ (last visited May 28, 2022)