The Scottish Health Survey 2024 results, published yesterday, provide information on the health, and factors relating to health, of adults and children in Scotland.
Half of all adults now have at least one long-term condition, continuing the upward trend. Almost two in five adults (39%) reporting having a long-term condition that limits their activities.
Eight percent of adults report having doctor-diagnosed diabetes, the highest level recorded.
There has been a decrease in the proportion of adults eating five or more portions of fruit or vegetables per day, with only 11% meeting this guideline compared to 20% in 2021 when the questions were last included.
Food insecurity reduced with 8% of adults reporting being worried about running out of food due to a lack of money or other resources in the last 12 months, a decrease from 14% in 2023 which was the highest level recorded.
New questions on menopause and perimenopause showed that 76% of those who had experienced symptoms had utilised one or more ways of managing them. The largest proportions had utilised physical activity (40%), Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) (38%) and/or vitamins, minerals or supplements (35%).
New questions indicated that prevalence of possible eating disorders among adults, based on self-reported eating behaviours and feelings towards food, was 13%. This was highest among those aged 16-24 (26%).
Other key findings show that in 2024:
- The proportion of adults who reported having felt lonely ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’ decreased from 10% in 2023 to 7% in 2024, similar to the proportion recorded in 2021 (8%).
- Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma amongst adults reached 18%, the highest proportion recorded.
- Prevalence of any CVD (excluding diabetes or high blood pressure) remained in line with recent years at 16% of adults.
- In 2023/2024 combined, 15% of adults reported being unpaid carers.
- The proportion of adults with a GHQ-12 score of 4 or more, indicative of a possible psychiatric disorder, was 22%, similar to levels in 2021 and 2023 (22% and 21%) and lower than the peak in 2022 (27%).
- In 2023/2024 combined, the prevalence of adults with two or more symptoms of depression was 10%, a decrease from 13% in 2021/2022 combined.
- Seven per cent of adults reported currently having long COVID, consistent with 2023 (8%) and remaining higher than in 2021 (5%).
- Around six in ten adults met the guidelines for moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (62%), a similar proportion as recorded in 2023 (63%).
- The prevalence of hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption remained at 20% of adults, the same proportion as in 2023 and a decrease from 34% in 2003.
- Almost a third of adults (31%) were living with obesity, a similar proportion to 2023 (32%), with a significantly higher proportion of females (35%) living with obesity compared with males (27%).
- Fourteen per cent of adults were current smokers the same level as in 2023, maintaining the overall downward trend in prevalence recorded since 2003 (28%).
- Current use of e-cigarettes or vaping devices (10%) remained in the range seen since 2022 (10%-12%).
- Thirteen per cent of adults met the Scottish Dietary Goal for saturated fat of no more than 10% of energy excluding ethanol.
- Less than a quarter (22%) of adults met the Scottish Dietary Goal of free sugars accounting for no more than 5% of energy excluding ethanol.
ASH Scotland calls for smoking cessation service funding transparency as survey shows stagnation of adult smoking rates
ASH Scotland is calling for the Scottish Government and NHS regional health boards to demonstrate increased transparency regarding funding being invested in smoking cessation services, which can help people to give up tobacco and reduce their risks of non-communicable diseases such as cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and respiratory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
ASH Scotland’s call comes as the Scottish Health Survey 2024 findings published today (Tuesday 21 October 2025) by the Scottish Governent show that fourteen per cent of adults were current smokers, which is the same level as in 2023.
The charity is raising concern that the Scottish Government has not provided details of its annual funding to health boards specifically for smoking cessation services in 2025/26. The last publicly available figure regarding government annual funding to NHS health boards to deliver specifically smoking cessation services was £7,852,085 invested in 2021/22, a significant reduction from the £9,110,000 allocated in 2016/17.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “With tobacco continuing to be the biggest preventable killer in Scotland causing nearly 9,000 premature deaths each year, it is concerning that there is stagnation in the nation’s overall smoking rate, although we welcome the decrease from 26% down to 23% in our most deprived communities.
“The vast majority of people in Scotland who successfully give up smoking don’t use anything to aid their quit attempts, but it is vital that those who need behavioural support can benefit from NHS Scotland’s free person-centred specialist Quit Your Way services delivered by qualified health professionals which improves the chances of success by three to four times to reach a tobacco-free life and reduce the risk of cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“As the Scottish Government’s funding for smoking cessation services showed a downward trend between 2016/17 and 2021/22, and no details have been provided for 2025/26, ASH Scotland is calling for increased transparency by the government and regional health boards regarding funding for Quit Your Way services, which are needed to drive progress towards Scotland becoming a tobacco-free nation in 2034.”
The Scottish Health Survey 2024 main report, including a summary of key results, is available on the Scottish Health Survey website.
