Get Active, Stay Active
Ambition to cut physical inactivity by 15% across Scotland.
Growing Scotland’s network of paths and trails, providing additional sports opportunities in deprived areas, and supporting efforts to ensure children can play outside safely are priorities for getting people in Scotland more active.
The Scottish Government aims to cut physical inactivity in adults and teenagers by 15% by 2030 – equating to around a quarter of a million more people becoming active – using wide-ranging approaches including active travel funding, support for both formal sports and informal physical activity, and partnership working across the transport, education, health and planning sectors.
Included in its Active Scotland Delivery Plan are actions such as: development of community sports hubs in the most deprived areas; more opportunities for pupils to participate in sport before, during and after school; support and development for helping people move from school sport to clubs; increased funding for cycle and walking paths; promoting good practice to ensure children have safe places to play; and addressing barriers to women and girls participating.
Scotland is one of the first countries to publish a national action plan following the World Health Organisation’s global plan on physical activity.
Public Health and Sport Minister Joe FitzPatrick launched the plan at Forrester and St Augustine’s High School in Edinburgh, which is a community sports hub.
Mr FitzPatrick said:
“Being physically active is one of the best things we can do for our physical and mental health, whether that’s walking or cycling, gardening, going to a gym or playing sport. It can also transform communities by helping people connect and come together in shared activities.
“Cutting the level of physical inactivity in Scotland by 15% by 2030 means addressing all of the factors involved. This includes relatively large action such as investing in our active travel infrastructure so people can easily walk and cycle, and supporting initiatives such as Health Walks for those who need help to become active, to small acts such as encouraging removal of ‘No Ball Games’ signs.”
Professor Fiona Bull from the World Health Organisation said:
“The launch of this delivery plan shows Scotland is out in front, leading on putting policy commitments into concrete actions supported by necessary resources to promote physical activity, for example, doubling the active travel budget from £40 million to £80 million per year. We welcome this strongly, and are pleased to support Scotland’s Physical Activity Delivery Plan. Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health. It can contribute to a healthier and more sustainable future for our children.”
Background
The plan has set its target of reducing physical inactivity in adults and adolescents by 15% by 2030 to align with the World Health Organisation’s targets.
In June 2018 the World Health Organisation published More Active People for a Healthier World, its global action plan on physical activity for 2018-2030, with the aim of helping countries promote physical activity.
The 2018 European Championships will result in £500,000 being invested in Community Sports Hubs across Scotland to help build leadership capacity and offer new physical activity opportunities.
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