Ukactive has launched a five-point manifesto designed to improve the health of the nation, urging all parties to adopt policies within it ahead of the forthcoming general election on 8 June.
Calling the election the “most important for a generation” ukactive said the election offers an opportunity to mend “a society that doesn’t value physical activity highly enough”.
“Physical inactivity costs the UK economy an estimated £20bn per year and causes 37,000 deaths per annum,” ukactive states in the Manifesto for an Active Britain.
“With an ageing population and an NHS at breaking point, we must build movement back into our daily lives to reap the physical mental and social benefits before it is too late.”
The document lists five areas – schools, workplace, high streets, active ageing and a new industrial strategy – in which improvements are needed to make “physical activity the natural choice from cradle to grave”.
For schools, the manifesto suggests fitness measurement programmes, which are fun and easy to implement and access and which monitor development and progress, would allow for direct interventions to support children at risk of ill health due to their fitness levels.
Funding from the Sugar Tax should also be used to open up schools over holiday periods for “holistic summer camps” competitive and inclusive “active mile” concepts which encourage children to run, walk or jog for at least 15 minutes, leaving them more awake, more alert, and more focused on their lessons.
Other plans include tackling the “toxic toll of sedentary office culture” by enacting a Workout from Work scheme and investing £1bn in regenerating scheme to transform the UK’s ageing fleet of leisure centres into new community wellness hubs.
There are also measures to promote active ageing, including the mandatory inclusion of physical activity strategies in care and residential homes to unlock huge health benefits and reinvigorate residents, giving them greater independence for longer.
To see the full manifesto, click here for the ukactive website.
