Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_F1] Crosscutting social indicators; Coordination
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Eurostat - BECH building, L-2920 Luxembourg
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
11 September 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
11 September 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
11 September 2024
3.1. Data description
Eurostat's sport statistics is a cross-cutting domain. Data are derived from already existing EU data collections, covering the theme of employment, enterprises, international trade, households expenditure and participation.
Three types of data related to sport participation are currently available in Eurostat:
practice of sport as physical activity.
attendance at live sports events: participation in live sports events without participating actively (e.g. going to matches as spectators).
unpaid participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities (e.g. football club or youth sports centre).
Data on practice of sport as physical activity come from the module on physical activity of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). The first wave of EHIS was conducted under a gentlemen’s agreement and implemented in 17 Member States between 2006 and 2009. EHIS wave 2 was conducted in all EU Member States between 2013 and 2015 and the wave 3 was conducted around 2019. Non-work related physical activity includes sport, fitness recreational (leisure) physical activities that cause at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate (e.g. Nordic walking, brisk walking, ball games, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, rowing, badminton, etc.) as well as walking and cycling used for commuting to get to and from places for at least 10 minutes continuously without interruption. The reference period is a typical 7-day week. Data comprise also distribution of the population according to the time spent on health enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity in minutes per typical week with cut-off points of 150 and 300 minutes.
In addition, data on practising sport and physical activities, in terms of time spent on doing sport and outdoor activities (including walking, hiking and walking the dog), are available from the Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS) conducted in 2000 and 2010. This survey is devote to measure the amount of time people spent on wide range of activities such as paid work, household and family care, personal care, voluntary work, social life, travel and leisure activities etc. For further information on methodology of the HETUS survey, please consult the HETUS metadata.
Data on attending live sport events and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities come from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module and from the 2006 and 2015 specific ad hoc modules on social and cultural participation included in the European Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU SILC). The reference period is the last 12 months prior to the interview. Data are presented as a share of the population and according to the breakdown variables: age, sex, educational attainment, household composition, frequency, income quintile, level of disability (activity limitation) and degree of urbanisation. Information on reasons for non-participation is also available.
In the Eurostat database online (Eurobase) there are also data on attending live sports events coming from the 2011 and 2007 special modules of the Adult Education Survey (AES).
Data on European cities satisfaction about sport facilities are also available from the Perception survey results, related to the years 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2019. For further information about statistics related at city level, please consult the City statistics metadata.
3.2. Classification system
The classifications used in the EU-SILC and EHIS results are based on international systems:
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011);
International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08);
Common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS 2);
3.3. Coverage - sector
Statistics on sport participation currently cover the following dimensions:
practice of sport as physical activity.
attendance at live sports events: participation in live sports events without participating actively (e.g. going to matches as spectators).
unpaid participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities (e.g. football club or youth sports centre).
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Based on the methodological approach of participation applied by the EU framework of cultural statistics, Eurostat's statistics on sport participation encompass the following dimensions:
active participation: in order to know about practice of sports as physical activity;
participation in live sport events and in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities: to know about attendance at live sport events, without participating actively (i.e. going to matches as spectators), and about unpaid non-compulsory work for or through a sports organisation, a formal group or a club .
1) Practice of sport as physical activity
The EHIS survey (wave 3, round 2019) gathered data on physical activity, work or non-work related. For sport statistics purpose, only non-work related physical activity was taken into account. Non-work related physical activity covers the 3 following domains:
leisure: activities that cause at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate (for example bicycling, ball games, jogging, Nordic walking, aerobics, etc.);
transport: physical activities for commuting (going to work, market, shopping, etc.): walking and bicycling;
muscle strengthening: refers to physical exercise which is specifically performed to improve or maintain the strength of the major muscles groups. “Muscle-strengthening activities count if they involve a moderate to high level of effort and work the major muscle groups of the body: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms”.
The following aggregates are currently available:
'health-enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity ' or shorter label 'aerobic' = leisure + transport (bicycling only), in the Eurobase tables hlth_ehis_pe2;
'(non-work-related) physical activities' = leisure + muscle + transport (both walking and bicycling), in the Eurobase tables hlth_ehis_pe3;
'aerobic sports' = leisure, in the tables hlth_ehis_pe3;
'health-enhancing physical activity' = leisure + muscle + transport (bicycling only), in the tables hlth_ehis_pe9.
The indicators are expressed as :
percentage of people (aged 15 and over) with a minimal physical activity, i.e.:
at least once in a typical week, for at least 10 minutes continuously for the categories 'Walking', 'Cycling' and 'Aerobic sports'; at least once a week for 'Muscle-strengthening' (tables hlth_ehis_pe3);
at least 150 minutes per week for 'Aerobic'; at least 2 days per week for 'Muscle-strenghtening' (tables hlth_ehis_pe9);
time spent on health-enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity, in minutes per week (tables hlth_ehis_pe2).
2) Attendance at live sport events
Data come from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module and from a module on social and cultural participation of the survey EU-SILC conducted in 2006 and 2015 and refer to spectating live sports events (watching sport on TV is not included) and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities.
Data are presented in the form of percentages of people who have attended such events in the last 12 months before the survey. This information is broken down by age, sex, educational attainment, household composition, frequency, income quintile, level of disability (activity limitation) and degree of urbanisation.
Attendance of people to live sport events in the last 12 months is measured by following frequencies:
at least once
from 1 to 3 times
more than 3 times
never.
In addition, historical data come from the Adult Education Survey (AES) 2007 and 2011 and refers to spectating live sports events. Not all EU MS are covered and the target population refers to 25-64-year-olds.
For further information on methodology of AES survey, please consult the AES Metadata.
3.5. Statistical unit
Individuals living in private households.
3.6. Statistical population
For data from EHIS: population aged 15 and over living in private households.
For data from EU-SILC: population aged 16 and over living in private households.
For data from AES: population aged 25 to 64 living in private households.
3.7. Reference area
For data from EHIS:
2019 (wave 3): EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Albania, Serbia and Türkiye.
2014 (wave 2): EU Member States (except Belgium and the Netherlands); the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway; Türkiye.
For data from EU-SILC:
2022: EU Member States; Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Kosovo(*) For more details please refer to the EU-SILC Metadata.
2015: EU Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway and Switzerland; North Macedonia and Serbia.
2006: EU Member States (except Romania and Croatia); the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway.
For data from AES:
2007: EU Member States (except Denmark, Ireland, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands); Türkiye.
2011: EU Member States (except Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands and Sweden); the United Kingdom; Serbia and Türkiye.
(*) This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data from EHIS (wave 3): 2019
Data from EU-SILC: 2006, 2015 and 2022
Data from AES: 2007 and 2011
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
For EHIS (physical activity):
% of the population (aged 15 and over) with a minimal physical activity (at least once in a typical week, for at least 10 minutes continuously)
minutes in a typical week for time spent on doing physical activities.
For data from EU-SILC and AES:
% of total (covered) population
% of non-participants for the reasons for non-participation (in EU-SILC).
For data from EU-SILC, the 12 months prior to the interview.
For data from AES, the 12 months prior to the interview.
For data from EHIS, a typical week.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The 'Sport statistics' leaflet published in March 2018 includes also some data on sport participation.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Eurostat publishes data on sport participation in the Eurostat database online with this corresponding metadata file.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Under specific conditions (see Council Regulation (EEC) No. 577/98 of 9 March 1998), researchers may access specific micro datasets. To avoid disclosure of confidential data, these data are "anonymised", on the basis of a list of anonymisation criteria agreed with the National Statistical Institutes. Please refer to access to microdata.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
None
10.6. Documentation on methodology
Eurostat's sport statistics have been designed according to the following documents:
The "Vilnius definition of sport", designed by the Working Group 'Sport and economics' in 2007. This definition proposes a three-stage approach (starting from the Classification of Products by Activity -CPA), in order to identify those activities, goods and services that are related to sport:
Statistical definition: it corresponds to NACE code 93.1 "Sport activities". This is the only economic sector of sport which has its own specific NACE code.
Narrow definition: it includes the statistical definition but comprises also all activities which are inputs to sport, i.e. which produce goods that are necessary to perform sport (e.g. manufacturing of sport shoes and tennis rackets).
Broad definition: it includes the narrow definition and encompasses all activities which require sport as an input for their production processes (television broadcasting, hotels accommodating guests doing sport, gambling etc.).
The study on the Contribution of Sport to Economic Growth and Employment in the EU (SPEA Report). The study carried out in the context of the Expert Group on Sport aimed at developing a common approach and harmonising the efforts in order to assess the economic impact of sport. The methodology proposed in the study elaborated by SpEA concentrates on the economic dimension of sport through the setting up of Sport Satellite Accounts.
Data on sport participation (and households expenditure in sporting goods and services) allow measuring the people's direct and indirect involvement in sport.
Moreover, at the European level, the several policy initiatives in the field of sport aim at developing the European dimension of sport and at raising awareness about the social and economic benefits of sport and physical activity.
Finally, the WHO recommendations in terms of physical activity inspired the EHIS data collection. To be noted, however, that sport statistics focus on only non-work-related physical activities.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Generally users have been satisfied with the overall quality of the services delivered by Eurostat but no particular feedback from them was received concerning their satisfaction about sport statistics.
Data on participation in sport events coming from AES and EU-SILC refer to different years, target population (16 and over for EU-SILC and 25-64 for AES) and countries' coverage (AES module was not compulsory).
2019 data on physical activity come from EHIS survey carried out at individual level in the population aged 15 and over. The data are collected via national surveys. EHIS may be implemented as a separate national survey or can be integrated into an existing national survey.
Data from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module on attending live sport events and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding sport participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Data from 2006 and 2015 EU-SILC ad hoc module on social and cultural participation (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding sport participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Historical data on attending live sport events is retrieved and then elaborated from the non-compulsory module on culture and social participation of Adult Education Survey (AES, rounds 2007 and 2011).
18.2. Frequency of data collection
EHIS: every 5 years. First data collection took place between 2006 and 2009 (2008 round), the second round between 2013 and 2015 (2014 round) and the third round between 2018 and 2020 (2019 round). The next round (EHIS wave 4) is planned for 2025 and afterwards at regular six-year interval (2031, 2037, etc.).
EU-SILC quality of life module: every 6 years.
AES: no more modules on social and cultural participation are planned.
18.3. Data collection
EHIS: Data are collected via questionnaires and are obtained through face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, self-administered questionnaires or by a combination of these means (depending on the country).
Eurostat's sport statistics is a cross-cutting domain. Data are derived from already existing EU data collections, covering the theme of employment, enterprises, international trade, households expenditure and participation.
Three types of data related to sport participation are currently available in Eurostat:
practice of sport as physical activity.
attendance at live sports events: participation in live sports events without participating actively (e.g. going to matches as spectators).
unpaid participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities (e.g. football club or youth sports centre).
Data on practice of sport as physical activity come from the module on physical activity of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). The first wave of EHIS was conducted under a gentlemen’s agreement and implemented in 17 Member States between 2006 and 2009. EHIS wave 2 was conducted in all EU Member States between 2013 and 2015 and the wave 3 was conducted around 2019. Non-work related physical activity includes sport, fitness recreational (leisure) physical activities that cause at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate (e.g. Nordic walking, brisk walking, ball games, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, rowing, badminton, etc.) as well as walking and cycling used for commuting to get to and from places for at least 10 minutes continuously without interruption. The reference period is a typical 7-day week. Data comprise also distribution of the population according to the time spent on health enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity in minutes per typical week with cut-off points of 150 and 300 minutes.
In addition, data on practising sport and physical activities, in terms of time spent on doing sport and outdoor activities (including walking, hiking and walking the dog), are available from the Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS) conducted in 2000 and 2010. This survey is devote to measure the amount of time people spent on wide range of activities such as paid work, household and family care, personal care, voluntary work, social life, travel and leisure activities etc. For further information on methodology of the HETUS survey, please consult the HETUS metadata.
Data on attending live sport events and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities come from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module and from the 2006 and 2015 specific ad hoc modules on social and cultural participation included in the European Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU SILC). The reference period is the last 12 months prior to the interview. Data are presented as a share of the population and according to the breakdown variables: age, sex, educational attainment, household composition, frequency, income quintile, level of disability (activity limitation) and degree of urbanisation. Information on reasons for non-participation is also available.
In the Eurostat database online (Eurobase) there are also data on attending live sports events coming from the 2011 and 2007 special modules of the Adult Education Survey (AES).
Data on European cities satisfaction about sport facilities are also available from the Perception survey results, related to the years 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2019. For further information about statistics related at city level, please consult the City statistics metadata.
11 September 2024
Based on the methodological approach of participation applied by the EU framework of cultural statistics, Eurostat's statistics on sport participation encompass the following dimensions:
active participation: in order to know about practice of sports as physical activity;
participation in live sport events and in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities: to know about attendance at live sport events, without participating actively (i.e. going to matches as spectators), and about unpaid non-compulsory work for or through a sports organisation, a formal group or a club .
1) Practice of sport as physical activity
The EHIS survey (wave 3, round 2019) gathered data on physical activity, work or non-work related. For sport statistics purpose, only non-work related physical activity was taken into account. Non-work related physical activity covers the 3 following domains:
leisure: activities that cause at least a small increase in breathing or heart rate (for example bicycling, ball games, jogging, Nordic walking, aerobics, etc.);
transport: physical activities for commuting (going to work, market, shopping, etc.): walking and bicycling;
muscle strengthening: refers to physical exercise which is specifically performed to improve or maintain the strength of the major muscles groups. “Muscle-strengthening activities count if they involve a moderate to high level of effort and work the major muscle groups of the body: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms”.
The following aggregates are currently available:
'health-enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity ' or shorter label 'aerobic' = leisure + transport (bicycling only), in the Eurobase tables hlth_ehis_pe2;
'(non-work-related) physical activities' = leisure + muscle + transport (both walking and bicycling), in the Eurobase tables hlth_ehis_pe3;
'aerobic sports' = leisure, in the tables hlth_ehis_pe3;
'health-enhancing physical activity' = leisure + muscle + transport (bicycling only), in the tables hlth_ehis_pe9.
The indicators are expressed as :
percentage of people (aged 15 and over) with a minimal physical activity, i.e.:
at least once in a typical week, for at least 10 minutes continuously for the categories 'Walking', 'Cycling' and 'Aerobic sports'; at least once a week for 'Muscle-strengthening' (tables hlth_ehis_pe3);
at least 150 minutes per week for 'Aerobic'; at least 2 days per week for 'Muscle-strenghtening' (tables hlth_ehis_pe9);
time spent on health-enhancing (non-work-related) aerobic physical activity, in minutes per week (tables hlth_ehis_pe2).
2) Attendance at live sport events
Data come from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module and from a module on social and cultural participation of the survey EU-SILC conducted in 2006 and 2015 and refer to spectating live sports events (watching sport on TV is not included) and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities.
Data are presented in the form of percentages of people who have attended such events in the last 12 months before the survey. This information is broken down by age, sex, educational attainment, household composition, frequency, income quintile, level of disability (activity limitation) and degree of urbanisation.
Attendance of people to live sport events in the last 12 months is measured by following frequencies:
at least once
from 1 to 3 times
more than 3 times
never.
In addition, historical data come from the Adult Education Survey (AES) 2007 and 2011 and refers to spectating live sports events. Not all EU MS are covered and the target population refers to 25-64-year-olds.
For further information on methodology of AES survey, please consult the AES Metadata.
Individuals living in private households.
For data from EHIS: population aged 15 and over living in private households.
For data from EU-SILC: population aged 16 and over living in private households.
For data from AES: population aged 25 to 64 living in private households.
For data from EHIS:
2019 (wave 3): EU Member States, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Albania, Serbia and Türkiye.
2014 (wave 2): EU Member States (except Belgium and the Netherlands); the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway; Türkiye.
For data from EU-SILC:
2022: EU Member States; Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Kosovo(*) For more details please refer to the EU-SILC Metadata.
2015: EU Member States; the United Kingdom; Iceland, Norway and Switzerland; North Macedonia and Serbia.
2006: EU Member States (except Romania and Croatia); the United Kingdom; Iceland and Norway.
For data from AES:
2007: EU Member States (except Denmark, Ireland, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands); Türkiye.
2011: EU Member States (except Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands and Sweden); the United Kingdom; Serbia and Türkiye.
(*) This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
For data from EU-SILC, the 12 months prior to the interview.
For data from AES, the 12 months prior to the interview.
2019 data on physical activity come from EHIS survey carried out at individual level in the population aged 15 and over. The data are collected via national surveys. EHIS may be implemented as a separate national survey or can be integrated into an existing national survey.
Data from the 2022 six-yearly rolling quality of life module on attending live sport events and participation in formal sports and outdoor voluntary activities (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding sport participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Data from 2006 and 2015 EU-SILC ad hoc module on social and cultural participation (see item 3.1): the part of the survey regarding sport participation is related to variables applying at individual level where the current household members aged 16 and over are interviewed.
Historical data on attending live sport events is retrieved and then elaborated from the non-compulsory module on culture and social participation of Adult Education Survey (AES, rounds 2007 and 2011).
For data from EU-SILC: following the calendar for the six-yearly rolling quality of life module.
For data from AES: no continuation of the module.
For data from EHIS: wave 3 was conducted between 2018 and 2020 and wave 4 is planned to be conducted in 2025.
