Everybody Active, Every Day:A common vision and common goal

Dr Justin VarneyNational Lead for Adult Health and Wellbeingjustin.varney@phe.gov.uk

Why prioritise physical activity?

• Insufficient physical activity is the fourth greatest cause of disease and disability in the UK

• Prevents and / or helps manage over 20 chronic conditions

• Cuts across PHE priorities:1. Tackling obesity2. Reducing smoking 3. Harmful drinking4. Every child has the best start in life5. Reducing people’s risk of dementia 6. Antimicrobial resistance7. Tuberculosis

2Sources: Murray et al. (2013) UK health performance: findings of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. WHO (2010) Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health. PHE (2014) From evidence into action: opportunities to protect and improve the nation’s health.

Everybody needs to be more active every day

3Source: Health Survey for England 2012 (HSE); Active People Survey 8, April 2103-April 2014 (APS); National Travel Survey July 2014 (NTS)

Inactivity is killing us

• Decreasing activity levels since 1960s: oOver 20% less physically active

oEstimated 35%↓ by 2030?

• Physical inactivity is responsible for:o1 in 6 UK deathsoUp to 40% of many long-term conditions

• Estimated £7.4 billion annual cost

4Sources: 1Ng SW, Popkin B (2012); Lee I-M, et al. (2012); Wen CP, Wu X (2012); WHO (2010); Ossa D & Hutton J (2002); Murray et al. (2013)

The lazy man of the western world?

5Source: Hallal PC, Andersen LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, Ekelund U, for the Lancet Physical Activity Series Working Group (2012) Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. The Lancet; published online July 18.

International comparison of physical inactivity (at ages 15 and over)

Note: Comparator = Not meeting any of the following per week: (a) 5 x 30 mins moderate-intensity activity; (b) 3 x 20 mins vigorous-intensity activity; (c) equivalent combination achieving 600 metabolic equivalent-min. 

Responding to the challenge

• Embedding evidence-based characteristics for effective national action:oPersistence over timeoCollaboration across sectors and levels

• Learning from other countries, e.g. Finland: oSince 1980, nationwide campaign for changeoFocus on grassroots interventions & key groupso Increases in leisure time seen across all age

groups

6Sources: Bull F et al. (2014) Turning the Tide: national policy approaches to increasing physical activity in seven European countries. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Vuori I et al. (2004) Physical activity policy and program development: The experience in Finland. Public Health Reports 119: 331-345.

Domains for actions (national & local)

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• Changing general attitudes to make physical activity the expectation or social norm

• Working across sectors in the

places we live and work

• Developing a common vision of:

“Everybody Active, Every Day”

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Active society – Creating a social movement

Moving professionals – Activating networks

• Utilising existing network of influencers on the public, the public & voluntary sector workforce

• ‘Making every contact count’ across sectors and disciplines

• Starting with expertise & leadership in key sectors:o Educationo Sports & leisureo Health & social careo Planning, design, transport

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Active environments – Creating the right spaces

• Developing ‘healthy’ cities, villages, towns and communities

• Linking across disciplines through planning and policy:o ‘Active’ infrastructure planning oCapital funding investments

• Embedding activity for all, e.g.oAge-friendlyoDisability-friendly

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Moving at scale – Interventions that make us active

• Positive change must happen at every level and must be measurable, permanent and consistent

• Implement ‘what works’ at scale

• Maximise existing assets, i.e.o Human o Physical

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Measuring impact

• Key = Public Health Outcomes Framework outcomeso % adults inactive (primary outcome)o % adults physically active (secondary)

• Surveys provide detail at national and local level:o Health Survey for Englando Active People Surveyo National Travel Surveyo Labour Force Survey

• Improving evaluation of local interventions

• Exploring potential for self-measurement

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Evidence for implementation

• Synthesis of existing evidence base (e.g. NICE)

• Settings:oPhysical environmentoSocial environmentoCommunity-wide interventionsoGroup interventionsoOne-to-one interventions

• Life-course:oStarting welloLiving welloAgeing well

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Options for Action

• Evidence-based across four domains for national, local and organisational action across public health system

• Includes five key steps for local areas1. Teach every child to have and enjoy the skills to be active every day

2. Create safe and attractive environments where everyone can walk or cycle, regardless of age or disability

3. Make every contact count for professionals and volunteers to encourage active lives

4. Lead by example in every public sector workspace

5. Evaluate and share the findings so the learning of what works can grow

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PHE actions to support implementation

• Toolkit for MPs and elected members

• Free BMJ e-Learning modules

• Review of promising practice in communities

• Topic overviews

• Definitive review of return on investment data

• Next round of regional Moving More Living More events

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Our ask of you• Be part of the change you want to see, in your

workplaces, in your work, in your every day lives

• Keep talking to us and working with us to realise the vision

• Tell us what more you need to make this real, we cannot afford to remain sitting on this issue.

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Let’s get Everybody Active

Every Day!physicalactivity@phe.gov.uk

And finally

Thank you!

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