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Areas of Research Interest

Help us build a stronger evidence base for sport and physical activity, to shape inclusive, effective and equitable policies and practices.

What are Areas of Research Interest?

Understanding how people think, feel, experience, and behave in relation to sport and physical activity is essential for developing inclusive and equitable policies and practices.

Our Areas of Research Interest (ARI) highlight specific topics where we believe more evidence is needed. These are areas where current research is limited or underdeveloped – and where gaining deeper insight could make a real difference.

We already have strong data on what is happening through sources like Active Lives. But we know less about why it’s happening. For example, we want to better understand the causal links between policies or interventions and the levels of sport and physical activity we observe.

Our overarching goal is to tackle inequalities in access to sport and physical activity. That means supporting people and communities who’ve traditionally been excluded, and identifying – then removing – the barriers they face. To do this well, we need better evidence on what works, for whom, and in what contexts.

Our Areas of Research Interest set out the key topics where we want to encourage new research and learning.

What are Sport England's ARIs?

Our ARIs set out the key topics where we want to encourage new research and learning. We have divided these areas into four broader themes.

How people think, feel and behave in relation to sport and physical activity

  • ARI 1. People's attitudes and behaviours in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 2. The barriers and enablers for under-represented groups in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 3. Better understanding intersectionality and diverse identities in relation to sport and physical activity.

What influences how people think, feel and behave in relation to sport and physical activity

  • ARI 4. Enhancing sport and physical activity participation among under-represented groups and within places of greatest need.
  • ARI 5. Harnessing technology and tackling digital exclusion in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 6. Enhancing cultural and social dynamics in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 7. Tackling exclusion and discrimination in sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 8. Understanding the impacts of a changing climate on people, places, and sport and physical activity.

The people and organisations that make sport and physical activity possible

  • ARI 9. Workforce diversity and participation within sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 10. Training and youth engagement within sport and physical activity among under-represented groups.
  • ARI 11. Enabling environments for sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 12. Trends and future adaptations to promote sport and physical activity.

The value of sport and physical activity to individuals and society

  • ARI 13. Understanding long-term impacts of inequality in sport and physical activity across the life course.
  • ARI 14. Benefits of sport and physical activity for under-represented groups.
  • ARI 15. Reducing social inequalities through sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 16. Understanding physical and mental health impacts of sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 17. Understanding mental wellbeing and subjective wellbeing in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 18. Social, community and economic development in relation to sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 19. Understanding environmental impact of sport and physical activity.
  • ARI 20. Influencing policy and strategy in relation to sport and physical activity.

Where can I find the research questions?

Please refer to the published Sport England ARIs for further detail on each area, and to see the existing evidence gaps and research questions under each ARI.

Sport England ARIs

Or search by topic using the ari.org.uk database:

ARI.org.uk

How you can help

We are building a diverse network of stakeholders interested in helping to fill these evidence gaps.

We hope that individuals from academia, Government and sector partners more broadly, from all stages of their career, reach out to connect with us on our Areas of Research Interest. The evidence collected will help inform strategy, practice, policy and new research.
 
If you would like to join the Sport England ARI network, attend events related to any of the topic areas, undertake new research, or share existing research, please complete this form:
 

Connect with us

Our definition of under-represented groups

We are particularly interested in research that focuses on audiences, communities, and places where inequalities are greatest. In 2024, we launched the Inequalities Metric – to identify who is least likely to be active.

The Inequalities Metric has identified the following characteristics as having the most impact on minutes of activity. 

For adults:

  • Disabled adults and those with long-term health conditions.
  • Age 65 or over.
  • Lower socioeconomic groups (NSSEC6-8).
  • Asian, Chinese, and Black adults.
  • Pregnant women and parents of children under one year.
  • Adults of Muslim faith.

For children and young people:

  • Girls.
  • Other gender for those secondary-aged.
  • Low affluence.
  • Asian and Black children.
  • Lack of park/field or outdoor sports place for secondary-aged children.

If everyone with one or more characteristics of inequality could be as active as those with none, there'd be 4.9 million more active adults and 328,000 more active children and young people.

We estimate this would generate more than £15 billion additional social value annually from the adult population alone.

Learn about the Inequalities Metric

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