Physical activity – a national perspective PAN-WM, 27 March 2007 Alison Giles, Physical Activity programme manager, DH

In April 2006, the Prime Minister asked Caroline Flint to develop a cross-government strategy to transform the population into a fitter and more active nation in the run up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This builds on the commitments set out in the Choosing Health White paper.

 What are government departments currently doing?  What should they be doing?  What should cross-government working look like?

Early yearsSchool age18-25AdultsOlder peopleParents everyday PA episodic PA DCMS/Sport England Adult sport PSA DfT/Cycling England Promoting walking and cycling DCMS/DfES PESSCL DCMS Play DH Healthy Ageing = impact as function of clarity of focus x leadership x resources (DH qualitative perspective) lowmediumhigh DH Healthy Living Social Marketing Programme DfT/DfES Travel to School active travel What departments are doing Healthy schools fitness sport active recreation and play DEFRA promoting active recreation

DfT/ DEFRA / DTI PSA 3 Public transport PSA 4 Congestion PSA 5 Road accidents PSA 6 Air quality PSA 7 Climate change DEFRA PSA 3 Countryside DCMS / Sport England PSA 3 Adult sport and active recreation DCMS / DfES Sport facilities DfT Walking and cycling action plan DCMS / DfES PSA 1 PE, school sport and club links DEFRA / Nat. England Health benefits of outdoor recreation DH PSA 3 Child obesity (with DfES and DCMS) PSA 1 CHD mortality DCLG PSA 6 Planning PSA 8 Cleaner Safer Greener = PSA= supporting action What drives departments? DCMS Play DfT / DfES School travel PA Implicit no PA target no audience PA Explicit specific PA target(s) audience identified DWP PSA Workplace Health & Safety

Game Plan* priorities - progress To increase mass participation in physical activity and sport, we need to: Support children and young people To build a life-long participation. Target specific groups who are below the national average in terms of participation Lower socioeconomic groups, ethnic minorities, women, disabled. xTarget the sedentary This is where the greatest health gains will be made. xSupport older people Most to gain in terms of short-term health benefit and delaying or preventing the effects of ageing *Strategy Unit/DCMS. 2002

(Source: Health Survey for England 2003) Target the sedentary and older people

The effects of activity on disease risk ChildhoodAdolescenceYoung adulthood Middle adulthood Old adulthood Impaired growth & development Risk factors Diseases and disorders Death RISK ACTIVE INACTIVE (Source: “At Least Five a Week” CMO 2004)  As people get older the health gap between active and inactive people widens  Becoming active at any stage in life decreases that health gap significantly  ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO START EXERCISING!

Role of DH 1.Develop the evidence base 2.Promote health benefits of all types of activity 3.Focus on sedentary and older adults 4.Develop a social marketing strategy 5.Identify mechanisms to engage NHS in physical activity promotion 6.Increase regional capacity 7.Deliver a health legacy from 2012 Games 8.Advocate action across government

Engaging the NHS  Patient activity questionnaire  NHS physical activity care pathway  National Step-O-Meter programme  Health trainers  Practice-based commissioning?

GP PA questionnaire  General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire  Patients  Self-completion (30 seconds)  Identification of patients who would benefit from increased physical activity  Available from

GPPAQ

Increasing regional capacity  To work across the GO to influence regional and local plans;  To develop a social marketing approach to delivering regional physical activity and sport strategies, and attract match funding where appropriate;  To ensure senior engagement with the regional sports board, and maximise opportunities for joined up action on physical activity and sport. To engage with the delivery system at the regional, sub-regional and local level;

Increasing regional capacity  To develop a regional Health & 2012 delivery plan that complements the national plan;  To develop plans to maximise the engagement of the NHS in promoting physical activity and sport;  To work in partnership with obesity, food and health, and healthy schools leads to ensure a joined-up approach to tackling obesity.

Role of government departments 1.Focus on their own contribution 2.Get their own house in order 3.Set national policy framework 4.Identify levers to local action 5.Remove barriers to local action 6.Develop regional and local capacity

Walking and cycling Department for Transport has concluded that: 1.One in 5 of all car journeys are less than 1 mile. By shifting these to bicycle or foot, traffic congestion would become a thing of the past. Game Plan and Choosing Activity identify that: 2.Walking and cycling provide important opportunities for activity for both young people and adults 3.Walking and cycling are two of the four main activities that continue from childhood to adulthood The Health Development Agency has concluded that: 4.Activities that do not require specific equipment or facilities are more likely to be maintained long-term

Walking and Cycling - Trends (Source: National Travel Survey: Update - figures exclude walking and cycling for leisure) Average miles travelled per person per year

The future….. …is uncertain  PSA targets are changing and reducing  More local ownership  Change of leadership?  Change of approach to tackling obesity?