Physical Activity
Introduction
“If exercise could be packaged in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.” - Robert Butler, National Institute on Aging (Orlan et al. 2022).
Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour have a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the adult population in the United Kingdom. Physical activity guidance from the UK Chief Medical Officers’ report1 recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity weekly and 2 days of strength building for adults over 19 and over2.
- Globally, 1 in 4 adults do not meet the global recommended levels of physical activity
- People who are insufficiently active have a 20% to 30% increased risk of death compared to people who are sufficiently active
- More than 80% of the world’s adolescent population is insufficiently physically active
Why is it important to Population Health?
Being physically active is important to population health for several reasons:
It is known to provide various health benefits and a reduction in mortality. Some of the benefits of undertaking regular physical activity include lowering the risk of:
- Coronary heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Bowel cancer
- Breast cancer in women
- Early death
- Osteoarthritis
- Hip fracture
- Falls (among older adults)
- Depression
- Dementia
Other benefits of physical activity include:
- Improved mental health and wellbeing.
- In older adults’ physical activity is associated with increased functional capacities. The estimated direct cost of physical inactivity to the NHS across the UK is over £0.9 billion per year.
- Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Healthy growth and development in young people.
- Improved overall wellbeing.
Physical activity also contributes to a range of wider social benefits for individuals and communities. The importance of the wider benefits of physical activity for individuals vary according to life stage and various other factors but include improved learning and attainment; managing stress; self-efficacy; improved sleep; the development of social skills; and better social Interaction.
WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health3.
The Derbyshire Population Health Approach
The Derbyshire Population Health Approach focuses on prevention, population health, evidence-informed practices, causes, and collaboration. It emphasises proactive measures to prevent health issues, tailors interventions to specific populations, incorporates evidence-informed practices, addresses underlying causes, and promotes collaboration for effective action.
When considering the topic of physical activity within The Derbyshire Population Health Approach:
• Prevention
Currently 25% or 1 in 4 adults are inactive in Derbyshire which equates to 166,000 people. This means they do less than 30 minutes of activity a week. And less than half of children and young people are doing enough physical activity to benefit their health.
16% of adults (106,000) do no activity at all4.
Prevention to tackle inactivity and promote physical activity in Derbyshire involves working with a range of partners to implement interventions to increase activity for sedentary people. Supporting access to services including Live Life Better Derbyshire’s physical activity service, Exercise by Referral for people with long term conditions, Walk Derbyshire and Jog Derbyshire.
• Population
Inequalities have a profound impact on whether people are active and taking a person-centred approach to tackling inactivity levels is a priority.
In Derbyshire inequalities affect whether a person is active:
- Adults in the most deprived neighbourhoods in Derbyshire are 75% more likely to be inactive than those living in the least deprived neighbourhoods.
- Currently 1 in 3 adults living in the poorest neighbourhoods are inactive (30%) compared with the wealthiest neighbourhoods (22%).
- Asian and Black ethnic communities are more likely to be inactive than other ethnic groups.
- People with a disability or long-term health condition are twice as likely to be inactive than those without.
Targeted interventions to support communities who experience high levels of inactivity are being developed and implemented to support the specific needs of those communities.
• Evidence
In Derbyshire an evidence-informed approach to understanding communities is used to develop physical inactivity interventions and provide opportunities for Derbyshire residents to move more.
We will use evidence and insight to:
- Develop a deeper understanding of people and neighbourhoods experiencing greatest inequality.
- Listen to different perspectives and engage with people who have lived experience of inactivity.
- Share our collective insight and understanding to inform our work and the decisions we make.
The development of the Derbyshire Physical Activity Partnership Approach will create an opportunity to develop a locality-based approach, working in collaboration with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
• Causes
Understanding and addressing physical inactivity are important to ensuring that population health approaches can manage and support physical activity and moving more at a population level.
There are many causes that contribute to people being inactive and having a greater understanding of these will help to address them.
Growing insight and understanding of people and communities by listening to residents’ voices, understanding what works and applying it on an ongoing basis. As well as advocating for and influencing policy and targeting an aligning investment to where it is most needed will.
• Collaboration
Working in collaboration is essential to delivering a population health approach to physical activity. Developing a shared vision and purpose across and between partners and sectors, establishing open and trusting relationships and developing the skills and capabilities to collaborate effectively. By collectively working with a range of partners including integrated health and care, voluntary and community organisations, young people services and education, wellbeing, sport, leisure, transport, housing, environment, and community safety and planning will help to create a culture where everyone can be active and move more.
Latest Derbyshire Data
Trend Data
Derbyshire Quilt
Prevalence Maps of Derbyshire
The maps below illustrate Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) and Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) for Derbyshire. LSOAs and MSOAs are geographical divisions used for statistical purposes, allowing for more detailed analysis of local data. In these maps, you can explore various health indicators and data for Derbyshire, providing valuable insights into the area’s health and wellbeing.