‘Stark inequalities' in activity uptake must be addressed

Doctors are calling on the government to urgently take action to improve low levels of physical activity across the UK, which is directly contributing to poor population health.

The British Medical Association has published a new report highlighting the ‘stark inequalities’ between people living in deprived areas and the rest of the country, with the analysis showing that 34 per cent of adults in the most deprived areas of England were classified as inactive, compared to the national average of 23 per cent.

The BMA is calling on the government to implement changes to improve the uptake of physical activity, with a focus on tackling inequalities, across four key areas: travel; leisure; school; and work.

Action could see the an increase in the cross-departmental government budget for active travel to £20 per head to cover the promotion of activities such as walking and cycling; local government provided with the resource to reverse budget cuts to open spaces and recreation facilities; physical education to be recognised and protected as an essential part of the school curriculum; and the NHS encouraged to act as an ‘anchor institution’ to encourage and facilitate active travel and set an example for other employers.

Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, BMA board of science chair, said: “As doctors, we see first-hand the negative impact of low levels of physical activity on the population’s health including the rise in hospital admissions as result of those living with preventable long-term conditions. It is unacceptable that the government is not doing more to encourage greater levels of physical activity, particularly for those living in deprived areas and those groups of people where inequalities exist.

“Exercise has an enormous amount of health benefits, from the prevention and management of chronic diseases to improved mental health and increased social interaction, and should therefore be affordable and accessible to all. Clearly, the overall benefits of increased physical activities far outweigh the effort and resources required for the government to make these important changes. Investing now in getting people more active will be cost-effective in the long run and drastically improve the nation’s health.”