Alliance says: “Tackling the inactivity time bomb would eradicate NHS funding gap and slash government deficit”

Ahead of today’s budget, the Alliance is repeating its calls for:

• A joined-up political strategy for physical activity.
• Long-term investment in national governing bodies and the sport and recreation sector.
• Full recognition and support for what sport and recreation can do to balance the books.

Inactivity is a killer and costs the economy and NHS billions of pounds per year. The Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Game of Life research highlights that:

• Cardiovascular Disease costs the NHS £14.4bn per year. Physical activity reduces your risk of getting it by 40%.
• The annual cost of diabetes to the NHS is £9bn per year. Exercising is two times more effective at treating it than medication is.
• Obesity costs the NHS £5.1bn a year and the NHS spends £10,000 every 10 seconds on preventable illness. Physical activity holds the key to prevention.

Andy Reed, Chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said:

“Human inactivity costs the economy literally billions of pounds per year which is simply unsustainable, yet sport and recreation is still being fundamentally undervalued by the government.

“George Osborne is keen to balance the books and we want to get the message across that an answer lies right in front of him – tackle the cost of inactivity and you could drastically cut the government deficit.

“We’d all like to see the books balanced in a fair way and one of the best ways of actually making this a reality is by getting the nation healthier.

“It’s proven that long term investment in physical activity tackles preventable disease, yet it is yet to be harnessed by the government as a key policy tool.

“Our members, as the national governing bodies of sport, have a key role to play in tackling some of the most serious health issues that we face as a nation.

“Some good progress has been made by government in recent months – including the government’s proposed extension of primary school sport funding and the work that the Alliance has done with government to make the Community Amateur Scheme more sustainable – but sport’s potential still lies untapped.

“It’s time to invest in physical activity.”

Notes to editors

1. Full Sport and Recreation Alliance analysis of the budget in relation to its impact on sport and physical activity is to follow.
2. The Sport and Recreation Alliance is the umbrella organisation for the governing and representative bodies of sport and recreation in the UK. It represents 320 organisations including the likes of The FA, UK Athletics, the Ramblers, British Rowing and the Royal Academy of Dance.
3. For media enquiries contact Libby Jellie from the Sport and Recreation Alliance on 020 7976 3933020 7976 3933/07834 726 22407834 726 224 or email: ljellie@sportandrecreation.org.uk

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