Sports Participation and Ageing: Influence and Impact

In most countriesthere is a trend of reduced participation in sporting activities with age from as early as 12, becoming much more pronounced in the older age groups. Yet sport is recognised as a significant contributor to the accumulation of sufficient physical activity to promote and maintain physical health with additional recognised social and psychological benefits.Added to this across most developed societies, as a result of reduced birth rates and improved healthcare, there is a demographic shift resulting in increasingly ageing populations.The challenge in many countries including Scotland is understanding the reasons for the steep declines in participation with age and developing evidence-based policies to counter this trend of reduced participation. The aim of this review is to analyse the existing data to reveal the current sports participation rates and trends in the older age groups (65+) in Scotland. This data will be compared with equivalent analyses in other countries around the world, and will also include exploration of some of the key factors known to influence participation rates.In addition, there is an examination of the current sports policies and delivery strategies that could influence sports participation in the older age groups.