These two new evidence briefings from the BHFNC, written in partnership with the County Sports Partnership Network, are designed for anyone working in the field of physical activity and health. They can be used by strategic organisations and community groups alike. Both documents provide relevant and evidenced based statistics to better equip physical activity and health professionals to make the case for using physical activity to improve quality of life across the population.
Making the case for physical activity
This document explains the health and social benefits of physical activity. It summarises evidence that can be used to convince commissioners, policy makers, partners and funding bodies to support physical activity programmes. The document offers a one stop shop for research that supports the use of physical activity to:
- prevent ill health and reduce the number of people dying prematurely
- enhance mental health, quality of life and self-reported wellbeing
- delay the need for care in older adults (age 65+)
- reduce health inequalities and improve wider factors influencing health and wellbeing.
Economic costs of physical inactivity
The purpose of this document is to provide physical activity and health professionals, commissioners and policy makers with the key facts to help build an economic argument for the need to decrease levels of physical inactivity within the population. It provides the latest health costs of inactivity, including the economic cost of inactivity on:
- cardiovascular disease
- cancer
- type 2 diabetes
- obesity
- falls.
It also provides real world examples of potentials savings that could be made from increases in physical activity levels.
Download: Making the case for physical activity
Download: Economic costs of physical inactivity
