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Active Lives Small Area Estimates Tool

Overview

Below you can access tools, data and reports relating to our Active Lives Small Area Estimates project.

The project takes data from the annual Active Lives surveys for both adults and children and young people and uses statistical modelling to estimate results at the level of small geographical areas.

More specifically, the project produces estimates of the proportions of adults and children and young people (CYP) who are active and inactive/less active at two small area levels: Lower Super Output Area and Middle Layer Super Output Area. It also estimates the proportion of adults taking part in sport.

Estimates for the adult survey have been produced for the periods November 2021-22 and November 2022-23. Estimates for the CYP survey have been produced for academic year 2021-22. Further methodological work will be undertaken before updated CYP estimates are released. This work is planned for spring/summer 2025.

Mapping tool

The tool below can be used to create maps of the small area estimates data. To do this, please first select whether you wish to see the data in Middle Layer Super Output Areas (Middle SOA) or Lower Super Output Areas (Lower SOA).

You should then select if you wish to see data for adult or children and young people, before indicating if you wish to see data for all people or specific demographic groups. Finally, you should select the active partnership for which you wish to see data and any specific local authority areas.

For further guidance on using the mapping tool, please see the user guide listed below the tool.

More info and resources

  • About the Active Lives Small Area Estimates project

    We commissioned this project to produce estimates of the proportions of adults and children and young people in 'small areas' across England who are physically active, physically inactive/less active or (in the case of adults only) participate in sport.

    The work has been led by statistician Jo Kroese and the research company Substance. Together, they have analysed data from our Active Lives surveys for adults and children and young people – along with several other data sets – and have created two Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) models.

    These have analysed the characteristics (social, economic, demographic and geographic) of active and inactive people in the Active Lives surveys and have used data from the UK census to estimate activity and inactivity rates in small areas, dependent on the characteristics of their populations.

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Mapping tool guidance

Read a full guide on how to use the Active Lives Small Area Estimates Mapping Tool.

The data

Excel versions of the latest small area estimates for all population groups at both MSOA and LSOA levels are available.

Reports and frequently asked questions

A PDF report explaining the methods used to create the small area estimates – along with a series of frequently asked questions – is available.

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