The high costs of inactivity in Scotland (and England)

Dr Charlie FosterBHF Health Promotion Research Group

University of Oxford

Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC)

Question 1Which cost Scots more per annum?

Hangovers at work Clearing smoking-related litter from streets

Atorvastatin Income from parking penalties in City of

Edinburgh (includes Midlothian)

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/1268/pay_and_display_parking/1126/parking_facts_and_figures

Question 2Which mode of transport.. runs on money and makes you fat….or runs on fat and saves you money?

Question 3How many GP and PN consultations were related

to physical inactivity (2011-2012) in Scotland?

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GP-Consultations/ accessed June 1st 2013.

Over 100,000

Over 500,000

Over 1 Million

Over 2 million

Question 3How many GP and PN consultations were related

to physical inactivity (2011-2012) in Scotland?

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GP-Consultations/ accessed June 1st 2013.

Over 100,000

Over 500,000

Over 1 Million

Over 2 million

But add in other conditions where physical activity could be used to help symptoms….

Question 3How many GP and PN consultations were related to physical inactivity (2011-2012) in Scotland?

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/General-Practice/GP-Consultations/ accessed June 1st 2013.

Over 100,000

Over 500,000

Over 1 Million

Over 2 million

But add in other conditions where physical activity could be used to help symptoms….(Depression, Osteoarthritis, Dementia)

Economic comparisons should be easy to understand

Economic value

•Burden of disease

•Cost benefit of physical activity interventions

•Cost effectiveness of physical activity interventions

•Cost utility of physical activity interventions

Economic value

•Burden of disease

•Cost benefit of physical activity interventions

•Cost effectiveness of physical activity interventions

•Cost utility of physical activity interventions

SUBSTANTIAL & RISING

SUBSTANTIAL & LONG TERM

HIGH IMPACT & SUSTAINABLE

CHEAP & DELIVERABLE

National costs of physical inactivity to the NHS Scotland are £94.1 million / £18 per resident

Every Scottish GP has at least 2 consultations per day regarding a condition which could be helped by being active 

Burden of physical inactivity related mortality in Scotland (2009-2010)

• There were just under 16,000 deaths per year in physical inactivity disease categories

• Physical inactivity contributes to 2,565 deaths (16.3%)

Source http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/

–£94.1M– Cost of prescriptions ~ £58M– Costs of GP consultations ~ £8.3M

Contributors to the cost of physical inactivity to Scotland (2009-2010)

• This is an underestimate as it does not include hospital related costs or prescription costs of disease where physical activity can prevent and aid treatment of particular conditions

• For exampleObesity – prescription costs ~ £3.3MMental Health prescription costs

Dementia ~ £35.8MDepression ~ £12.2M

Total cost of physical inactivity to Scotland

Why is this figure an underestimation?

• Other disease areas direct health service costs– Mental health, Obesity, Dementia, Falls,

• Indirect social and economic costs– Lost productivity– Premature mortality– Social care

Meanwhile south of the border….

The primary care trusts (PCT) in England in excess of £940 million

Each PCT on average £6.2 million (6).

£17.35

£18.29

£17.36

£13.91

£18.93

£19.20

£17.60

£20.18

£22.03

£18.37

Cost of physical inactivity (£/population) related disease by SHA

Foster & Townsend (2013)

£17.35

£18.29

£17.36

£13.91

£18.93

£17.60

£20.18

£22.03

£18.37

Cost of physical inactivity (£/population) related disease by SHA

Foster & Townsend (2013)

£19.20

£17.35

£18.29

£17.36

£13.91

£18.93

£17.60

£20.18

£22.03

£18.37

Cost of physical inactivity (£/population) related disease by SHA

Foster & Townsend (2013)

Cost of doing nothing

£17.60

£19.20

£17.35

£18.29

£17.36

£13.91

£18.93

£17.60

£20.18

£22.03

£18.37

Cost of physical inactivity (£/population) related disease by SHA

Foster & Townsend (2013)

Cost of doing nothing

£17.60

Spend in London is £1.07 per head

£19.20

Economic value

•Burden of disease

•Cost benefit of physical activity interventions

•Cost effectiveness of physical activity interventions

•Cost utility of physical activity interventions

Economic value

•Burden of disease

•Cost benefit of physical activity interventions

•Cost effectiveness of physical activity interventions

•Cost utility of physical activity interventions

SUBSTANTIAL & RISING

SUBSTANTIAL & LONG TERM

HIGH IMPACT & SUSTAINABLE

CHEAP & DELIVERABLE

Healthy Places.org

Thanks to Dr Steve Allender Dr Nick Townsend

charlie.foster@dph.ox.ac.uk

The high costs of inactivity in Scotland (and England)

Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC)