Physical Activity

Background

PhysicalactivityRegular physical activity has many benefits to health, including mental health and well being. People who are physically active have up to a 50% reduced risk of developing the major chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers and a 20-30% reduced risk of premature death. It has been estimated that the cost of physical inactivity to Wales is around £650 million per year. (Source: Climbing higher: creating an active Wales. Welsh Assembly Government 2009)
 

Policy Context

Climbing higher: creating an active Wales. A 5 year strategic action plan (Welsh Assembly Government 2009)
The Action Plan aims to increase the percentage of adults who meet the physical activity recommendations (30 minutes of moderate intensity on at least 5 days a week).It focuses on ensuring that we all build physical activity into our daily routines.
Climbing Higher forms part of Our Healthy Future, the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategic approach to improve the quality and length of life.

What are we doing around Physical Activity?

 

Service Planning

The Public Health Wales Observatory Information Analysts Team produced Health Needs Assessment: Physical Activity document to assist local health partnerships with the 2006 round of health needs assessment in preparation for their Health, Social Care and Well-being (HSCWB) Strategies. This chapter includes indicators detailing proportions of children and adults meeting the recommended guidelines for physical activity.

Local HSCWB Stategies are published on the websites of the Local Health Boards (LHBs) and detail how resources will be targeted to address the physical activity health needs of the local populations. Some examples are listed below and you can access others via the LHB link in our Services Directory.

 

 

Service Delivery 

National Programmes

Health Challenge Wales signposts members of the public to information or activity to help them improve their own health including tips on Fitness.

Free Swimming is being funded by The Welsh Assembly Government for children and young people aged 16 and under during all school holidays; and Older People aged 60 and over outside school holidays. Some local authorities have extended the scheme to provide 60+ Free Swimming all year around. 

The Exercise Referral Scheme describes the process by which patients are 'prescribed' a programme of physical activity and the guide details specific advice on setting up, running and evaluating exercise referral schemes.

The Expert Patients Programme Wales (EPP) provides a range of self-management courses and workshops for people living with long-term health conditions or for those who care for someone with a long term condition. Course Topics convered include Exercise.

Active Living is defined as any form of physical activity, which is performed as part of everyday life. The Physical Activity Network for Wales website provides further information.

 

 

 

Local Initiatives

 
Local Public Health Teams develop local strategies and undertake a wide range of specific health promotion initiatives, including working closely with partners in Physical Activity programmes.
 
Cardiff Local Public Health Team is working closely with Cardiff Health Alliance, Cardiff Council, Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust and Cardiff Local Health Board to implement and monitor a Cardiff wide strategy and action plan for Physical Activity. Other projects include "Walk For Health" an initiative, led by the Health Alliance, has been supported to establish a number of walks in local communities and "Mentro Allan" led by Mewn Cymru, has been supported to access funding from the Big Lottery Fund.
Pembrokeshire Local Health Board (LHB) Staff Wellbeing Programme provides ongoing fitness and health checks, with related activities such as rowing coaching sessions, pilates, tai chi and a walk to run programme where staff meet after work to follow an easy 12 week programme to enable them to run for 30 minutes at the end. More information on the programme can be found on the "Active Occupation" page below:

 Resources

Start active, stay active - UK Chief Medical Officer guidelines for physical activity. These scientific guidelines use global evidence for the health benefits people can achieve by taking regular physical activity throughout their lives.


Promoting physical activity, active play and sport for pre-school and school-age children and young people in family, pre-school, school and community settings. (NICE Guidance 2009) The recommendations relate to all children and young people up to the age of 18, including those with a medical condition or disability

The Physical Activity Network for Wales facilitates the sharing of information and best practice principles, with the aim of increasing the physical activity levels of the people of Wales. It's website contains pages with data, surveys, research and evaluation.

The Public Health Wales Observatory website includes links to key policy documents detailing targets, data sources including European statistics and reviews of evidence.

Publications

Profiles of lifestyle and health have been produced by the Public Health Wales Observatory as part of a series. The document aims to assist  health boards in understanding the health of their population and in their planning activities, as well as to provide a resource on lifestyle for other stakeholders. The topics covered are diet, physical activity and obesity; smoking; alcohol; illicit drugs; sexual health and dental health.
 
Increasing Physical Activity is a report by the Wales Audit Office 2007 which estimates the cost of physical inactivity to the NHS in Wales and to the Welsh economy in general.
 

  
Framework for action: physical activity 2005. is a publication by the National Public Health Service a predeccessor organisation to Public Health Wales

Promoting physical activity, active play and sport for pre-school and school-age children and young people in family, pre-school, school and community settings. (National Institute for Health and Cinical Excellence Guidance 2009) The recommendations relate to all children and young people up to the age of 18, including those with a medical condition or disability

The Welsh Assembly Government commissioned an independent evaluation of the National Exercise Referral Scheme as it rolled out in Local Health Boards

 

 

Statistics

The Welsh Health Survey contains information on levels of physical activity for adults and children in Wales

StatsWales is a data web resource provided by the Welsh Assembly Government. Physical activity data from the Welsh Health Survey by year, age and sex for Wales are included.