The price of not taking exercise seriously

Huw Edwards CEO, ukactive

Sport captures the nation’s attention like few other things. The Winter Olympics has provided us with escapism during a rather gloomy new year, with Team GB’s success in Milan-Cortina delivering the nation’s record gold medal haul. Sport was also on the agenda in Davos-Klosters, which hosted the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). This meeting focused on the economic value of sport, physical activity and movement and in its report, ‘Sport for People and Planet’, the WEF made the explicit case that sport – in this case including fitness, active travel and movement – must be recognised by governments as crucial economic infrastructure that supports consumer spend, jobs, growth, community health and social resilience. The report also warns that weakening foundations such as rising physical inactivity levels or climate risk, threaten not just sporting outcomes, but economic systems.

In the UK this is sadly no longer a threat, but a living reality and the UK is paying a major economic price for poor national health. Rising obesity, chronic disease and inactivity are not just public health problems but also productivity killers. Sick days, lower workplace performance and long-term workforce incapacity are eroding our economy. Every year, billions are lost while policymakers focus narrowly on healthcare costs instead of the root cause: preventable ill health. Youth unemployment figures are at a devastating 11-year high, while 39% of 16–24-year-olds are defined as economically inactive. Combined with record levels of long-term sickness, the UK has a generational crisis on its hands.

The measures for driving economic growth are, of course, multi-faceted, but not having a key sector on the pitch playing its full role is counterproductive. The Government can no longer afford to pigeonhole sport and physical activity as purely leisure pursuits. They are an economic engine. Gyms, pools, leisure centres, community sports programmes, school PE, and even elite sport pathways generate jobs, drive spend, reduce long-term NHS costs, andimprove workforce performance. Countries that treat physical activity as a system see tangible returns in health and economic resilience. The UK cannot afford to lag behind any longer.

Every year, billions are lost while policymakers focus narrowly on healthcare costs instead of the root cause: preventable ill health

The Government must urgently shift from reactive healthcare spending to a proactive economic strategy that fully leverages movement, placing our members and the industry at its core. For too long Government thinking has been outdated and lags behind where the public and the sector currently are. Physical activity should be embedded across departments: treasury, education, health, transport and business.

Our members are already making these connections, building programmes that incentivise activity, working with communities to refine their offer and training staff to provide consistent and sustainable services. Now the Government needs to bring in our sector so it can do even more to support economic growth.

Workplaces should be encouraged to incentivise activity, high street renewal plans must include physical activity as an integral sector, and communities need sustainable sport and leisure infrastructure. Public funding, private investment and tax incentives need to work together to create a virtuous cycle of health and productivity.

Failing to act risks a future where ill health further constrains our workforce, drives up public spending further and continues to weaken Britain’s economic competitiveness. Recognising sport and physical activity as economic systems, not optional extras, is not just smart policy but essential for a healthier, wealthier and more competitive nation.

The choice is stark: prioritise physical activity and movement or watch our economy continue to stumble.