Research task

Research a range of local, regional or national initiatives targeting inactive people and identify areas of good practice and areas for improvement. Use the table below to make notes.

Name of initiative and who it’s aimed at Is it local, regional or national? What is good about it? What is not so good about it?

The benefits to society of engaging people with physical activity

Engaging people in physical activity also has wider implications related to society and the economy. Lack of physical activity costs an estimated £7.4 billion a year in the UK, including £0.9 billion to the NHS alone. People in the UK are around 20% less active now than in the 1960s. More people have a car and fewer people have manual jobs. Technology continues to reduce our need to move at home and in the workplace, we have literally designed physical activity out of our lives and are the first generation to have to plan to do activity in our daily lives. If current trends continue, we will be 35% less active by 2030, (Gov. UK, 2016). Inactivity can lead to serious illness or long-term health conditions which in turn can lead to an increased dependency on home, residential and nursing care. This can put extra strain on individuals, families and ultimately the health care services. Further information on this can be found here: tinyurl.com/24davjnd. On the other hand, if people are more active and can become healthier this will lead to fewer people on welfare, a more productive labour force and increased taxation income from those gaining and maintaining employment. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have in depth data on key indicators related to improved wellbeing through increased physical activity, including a reduction in obesity, reduced workplace sickness or those unable to work, fewer hospital admissions, reduced mortality and mental health to name a few. More information can be found on the ONS website here: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing.

A ukactive blog reports physical activity as ‘society’s golden thread’ – a valuable tool in fighting some of our national challenges; from an ageing society to community integration, reducing childhood obesity to supporting reductions in crime and antisocial behaviour. A good example is Iron Man triathlon champion John McAvoy, who at age 20 was facing life imprisonment but through focussing on fitness he transformed his life. The blog goes on to explain that most parents and their teenagers say that antisocial and criminal behaviour is linked directly to boredom, something that can be addressed through engaging in physical activity and initiatives. The full report can be read online here: www.ukactive.com/blog/the-impact-of-physical-activity-on-crime-and-anti-social-behaviour/.

Summary

In summary the benefits to having more people engaged in physical activity can be seen in a healthier lifestyle across all ages, reduced pressure on the NHS, less antisocial behaviour, fewer people on welfare, a more productive labour force and increased taxation income from those gaining and maintaining employment.

Other nations and regions that benefit from having a culture of people engaged in regular physical activity

The World Health Organization (WHO) provides evidence-based guidelines for physical activity for children, adolescents, adults, older adults, pregnant and postpartum women and those with disabilities or chronic conditions.

These guidelines, (which detail the frequency, intensity and duration required to gain significant health benefits and mitigate health risks), are intended to be used by policy makers around the world to implement national and regional plans to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours. In Finland, national physical activity promotion and campaigns have successfully targeted every phase of the life-course with programmes to promote welfare and physical activity from children’s day care to the older age groups. The programmes target behavioural change and motivation. A particular success is the ‘sport and physical activity close to home’ programme, encouraging an active, healthy lifestyle. The programme employs sports ‘connectors’ and supports activity through grant funding for neighbourhood activity targeting the specific sedentary groups, overweight children and adolescents in low-income neighbourhoods. In Sweden the county of Östergötland, implemented physical activity prescribing. An evaluation of the initiative after 12 months found that almost 50% reported following the prescription, while an additional 21% were regularly active, leading to a considerable reduction of the proportion of the population classed as sedentary. In Germany the German Olympic Sport Confederation (DOSB) is the umbrella organisation for German sports and health management is a particular area of expertise. They collaborated with the German Medical Association to create the ‘Sports for Health’ initiative which ensures nationwide, standardised programmes which receive a “seal of quality”. All programmes must be designed to:

• specific target groups

• be led by qualified exercise instructors

• have no more than 15 participants in sessions

• include a health check-up

• undergo quality control measures

• be part of a local network of sports clubs.

More information on other nation’s initiatives and approaches can be found here: www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128.