77% of staff and students at the University of Leeds are active, with 60% of the activity they take part in happening on campus.

The latest insights from the Balancing Life survey which took place in March 2017 are available to view online, and show that University of Leeds students and staff are more active than the general population in the UK, however Leeds students are less active than the average higher education population.

The Balancing Life Survey, ran by the Sport & Physical Activity Service (SPA) at the University has given real insight into the activity levels of staff and students at Leeds, as well as their relationship to being active and a snapshot of their wellbeing. Of the people that completed the survey 77% were active, while 23% were insufficiently active or inactive. Staff were 3% more active than students and 60% of activity that people take part in happens on campus. This is a figure that SPA are committed to increasing and through collaborative working with departments across the University SPA is looking for ways in which activity can be incorporated into staff and students lives on campus. Ideas such as lunchtime yoga in meeting rooms and lecture theaters as well as walking meetings are just some of the initiatives that could be introduced.

 

When asked directly about their relationship to sport and physical activity, 51% of people ‘do it regularly and are sticking with it’, 6% are ‘not considering it’ and 43% are ‘thinking about it, have looked into options and are just getting involved’. This 43% are the people that SPA are working to support so they begin to create positive habits for life.

The aim of the survey was to establish and better understand the current activity levels of students and staff at the University of Leeds, while also taking into consideration their wellbeing. It has been a great success and is creating opportunities for SPA to pilot interventions that will encourage faculty, staff, student and the public’s participation and involvement in physical activity and sport at the University of Leeds. This is a key aim of the University’s Sport and Physical Activity strategy.