The proportion of adults with two or more risk behaviours (current smoker, harmful or hazardous drinker, low physical activity, obesity[1]) in 2021 was 26%, a two percentage point decrease from 2019[2] (28%). The percentage of adults with two or more risk behaviours was at its lowest point in the time series in 2021, having ranged from 28% to 32% between 2012 and 2019.

The proportion of adults with two or more risk behaviours in 2021 was 26%, a two percentage point decrease from 2019 (28%).

Two or more health risk behaviours were more common amongst older age groups, with the 16-24 group having the lowest percentage (13%) and the 55-64 and 75+ age group the highest (32%).

Health risk behaviours were slightly more common for men (27%) than women (26%).

There was a significant  difference in health risks behaviours by deprivation, with the percentage of adults with two or more health risk behaviours in the most deprived areas (39%) almost double that of the least deprived areas (20%).

Adults with a limiting long-term condition were more likely to engage in 2 or more health risk behaviours  than those without a limiting long-term condition (35% and 21% respectively).

Adults engaging in two or more health risk behaviours were more common in urban areas (27%) compared to rural areas (23%).

[1] In 2021, the Scottish Health Survey was undertaken by telephone which meant that height and weight measurements used to calculate BMI were self-reported by respondents rather than being taken by the interviewer as in previous years. The self-reported measurements for adults were adjusted based on a comparison study by the Health Survey for England.

[2] Due to disruption to the Scottish Health Survey at the onset of the pandemic, the survey data collected in 2020 was published as experimental statistics and is not comparable with the time series.