“Sport England welcomes the Foresight report as it highlights the scale of the obesity problem facing the nation. It is no coincidence that our Active People survey - which shows that more than 50% of the population do no sport at all - correlates with the Foresight report’s findings. We believe the solution is having a holistic approach to the problem by educating people on the importance of a balanced diet, helping them fit some exercise into their lives and encouraging them to feel good about themselves.
“This weekend we expect people up and down the country to be tuning in to the rugby World Cup final and the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Brits are famed for being passionate spectators, what we need to do is transform that into community sports participation.
“We have already got the ball rolling and are investing in projects aimed specifically at combating obesity. For example, Local Exercise Action Pilots (LEAP) offering sporting activities such as over fifties leisure weeks, free swimming for kids, senior peer mentoring and street dance. The Physical Activity pilot in London working with GP surgeries uses practitioners to measure patients’ levels of sporting activity then supports them to change their behaviour through advice, info packs and exercise plans.
Tackling obesity is no small task and requires cross-cutting changes to our society. Our ambition is to get two million people doing more sport by 2012. By working together with Government and local partners we can inspire people to do sport and help people of all ages lead healthier, happier lives.”
Examples of Sport England initiatives designed to help tackle obesity
Active Design
Active Design is an innovative set of design guidelines to promote opportunities for sport and physical activity in the design and layout of housing development.
Local Exercise Action Pilots (LEAP)
LEAP was a £2.5 million joint initiative between Sport England, Natural England and Department of Health which tested different ways of helping less active people to do more exercise.
Mind Exercise Nutrition and Diet (MEND)
A holistic scheme will help children aged 7-13 and their families make life changes in terms of sport and exercise, food, self-confidence and personal development.
Physical Activity pilot in London
An obesity toolkit crammed with practical tips and information is being launched to help people fight the flab and improve their health.
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