HALF-a-million pounds of lottery funding has been awarded to tackle inactivity in the region as new figures show sedentary lifestyles cost the region’s NHS more than £50m a year.
The money has been handed to County Durham Sport for a scheme targeting adults at risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
People who show a willingness to change their inactive lifestyles will be helped to get involved in a wide range of sports at local sports clubs and leisure centres.
The initiative is one of 14 projects across England benefitting from £5.8m funding from Sport England’s Get Healthy Get Into Sport fund.
The announcement comes as new figures published by Sport England reveal that the cost of inactivity to the NHS in the North-East is £52m.
Jennie Price, Sport England’s chief executive, said: “We are paying a heavy price for inactivity both in terms of people’s health and the burden on the NHS.
“These lottery-funded projects will help tens of thousands of people to get healthier and demonstrate the value of investing in sport and physical activity.”
In the North-East, County Durham Sport will be working with a range of partners to help people to get more active. The partners include Durham County Council’s public health and culture and sport teams, Newcastle University, Derwentside sports and arts trust Leisureworks and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
Andrew Power, strategic manager for physical activity with County Durham Sport, said: “Our Move into Sport programme forms a part of a strategic response in engaging inactive people who are most at risk of lifestyle related disease.
“This will be a real partnership effort, building on local good practice, available evidence and recent success in changing behaviours and increasing participation in sport in those who need it most.”
Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Government’s chief medical officer, said: “If physical activity was a drug it would be regarded as a miracle, so everyone must take this seriously.”
Experts say physical Inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality after high blood pressure, tobacco use and high blood glucose.
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