More than a quarter of adults in England are physically inactive, failing to achieve 30 minutes of moderate exercise within a week, according to the latest national health survey published yesterday.
26% of men and 29% of women are obese – while 27% of adults are inactive, according to the survey published by NHS Digital.
It is based on interviews with more than 8,000 adults and 2,000 children. More than half of these were assessed by nurses for their health.
It finds that 43% of adults now have at least one diagnosed medical condition.
The survey also shows a substantial reduction in diagnosed child asthma rates this century – falling from 20% in 2001 to 10% last year.
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, chair of the British Medical Association’s board of science, called for more action to encourage regular physical activity.
She said: “The number of adults and children who are overweight and obese remains alarmingly high. Clearly there is a need for further action to tackle unhealthy food marketing and to create healthier food environments. The power and influence of this industry cannot be underestimated, and the Government must act to protect the population from the dangerous impact of this.
“Far too many adults are not getting the level of physical activity they require. Recent BMA research highlighted a need to reform key aspects of our environment – work, leisure, schools and travel – to encourage the uptake of physical activity."
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2018
Leave a Reply