New figures reveal how active Sunderland's children are compared to national peers
The latest national data shows that children and young people in Sunderland now have higher levels of daily physical activity than the UK average.
The data, which is from the latest Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, shows more than half of youngsters are regularly active for at least one hour a day, “helping them build healthy habits for life”.
The survey reports that 50.2% of 5–18‑year‑olds in Sunderland meet the recommended daily activity levels, compared with the UK average of 49.1%.
The findings also show strong year on year progress across the city as the number of children and young people who are regularly active in Sunderland has risen from 44.9% in 2023–24 to 50.2% in 2024–25.
The number of children classed as less active and doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day has also fallen significantly, from 35.8% in 2023–24 to 29.7% in 2024–25.
This City Council believes the data shows the impact of ongoing work across schools, clubs and community organisations to create supportive environments that make it easier for children to move, play and enjoy activity every day.
Councillor Beth Jones Cabinet member for Communities, Culture and Tourism said: “These results are extremely encouraging and show the positive difference being made across Sunderland to help children and young people be more active.
“This progress is a credit to Active Sunderland and our leisure partners Everyone Active and Leisure United as well as our schools, community groups, partners, sports clubs and families who are creating more and more opportunities for young people to move, play and take part in a range of activities every day.”
Across the city, there has been a growing number of regular opportunities for children to be active.
Hetton Lyons Junior Parkrun, which launched in May 2025, has already delivered 36 events with 423 finishers taking part. Mowbray Junior Parkrun, running since July 2023, has now held 120 events, attracting 522 individual finishers and recording a total of 3,401 finishes.
Alongside this, Sunderland’s three ParkPlay sessions in Hendon, Houghton and Pallion have seen numbers grow since April 2025.
ParkPlay offers free weekly games and activities for all ages, providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive way for families and communities to get active together. The sessions “focus on fun, connection and movement, helping to make physical activity part of everyday life”.
Further details about ParkPlay and active events can be found on the Council’s website.