 |
Government reveals new obesity strategy – but where's the bit about gyms?
27 Jul 2020
Bans on meal deals, stricter rules on food advertising and printing calorie contents on menus are among the measures introduced in the government's new anti-obesity strategy – but there is little mentioning of gyms or exercise.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed the new strategy – called Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives – today (27 July).
All of the strategy's headline-grabbing measures are to do with making diets healthier – and include a ban on junk food adverts before 9pm, a review of the current traffic light labelling on food and consultation on whether to stop fast food adverts online altogether.
While there is no doubt that the measures, if implemented, will result in a radical change to the way food is marketed and advertised, the lack of detailed policy items relating to exercise and physical activity has been called "disappointing" and "counterintuitive" by some in the active leisure industry.
The only item that refers to exercise in a somewhat vague way is the pledge to give greater incentives for GPs to tackling excess weight – including the use of exercise referrals.
"Many GPs around the country can already refer people living with obesity to weight management services," the strategy reads.
"We will encourage local authorities to expand their provision and where these services are not available doctors can guide people to the free NHS 12-week plan, which we will develop and enhance over time drawing on new insights about what works."
In its response to the strategy, industry body ukactive called on the government to rethink its plans and to ensure physical activity has an "equal footing" with diet.
"We believe that this complex issue requires a cross-party, multi-agency strategy to be successful, extending far beyond the framework announced today," said ukactive CEO Huw Edwards.
"This strategy must place diet, mental health and physical activity on equal footing, backed by real investment, changes in taxation and regulatory reform for the physical activity sector that will help people to be more active.
"The are many facets of physical, mental, emotional, and social health that cannot be addressed through diet alone.
"Physical activity has a central role to play in obesity and weight management, as well as the overall improvement of health, happiness, quality of life, and economic prosperity.
"The Government has the opportunity, working with its agencies and the sector, to bring plans together in the coming weeks that harness the value of physical activity.
"We believe these plans should contain, as a minimum, four components.
"First, a new model to open school sport facilities as community hubs, during out-of-school times, for children and families. All main political parties should commit to taking this model to national scale as soon as possible, reaching more than 6,500 school facilities by 2022.
"Second, we feel that VAT relief and the continuation of the business rate holiday would help stimulate and revitalise our high streets and towns. In March, the chancellor announced a business rates holiday for the leisure sector for the rest of the financial year, and this measure should be extended beyond March 2021.
"A Workout from Work scheme, extending the Cycle to Work, should also be introduced, offering a wider array of opportunities and equipment, including fitness trackers and gym memberships. This would bring £240m in savings for the Treasury, through reduced NHS costs, improved workplace productivity, and reduced premature mortality.
"Lastly, we need to establish a more ambitious frontline preventative health system in which GPs can confidently use social prescribing services to offer patients physical activity to aid recovery and health in patients undergoing prehab, rehab or managing long-term health conditions."
Speaking to HCM, Mark Sesnan, CEO of leisure operator GLL, questioned the lack of a joined-up approach, which would directly involve leisure facilities.
"While I welcome the launch of the Government’s obesity strategy, it seems counter-intuitive, when community leisure centres, gyms and pools across the UK are facing the biggest crisis in their history.
“The sector needs urgent financial support, similar to the package offered to the arts, to ensure that we don’t lose these crucial community facilities, which should be central to the fight against obesity.
“Many may never reopen following the four-month lockdown as they are unable to recoup the losses incurred.
"This will leave local communities with nowhere to exercise in a safe and supervised environment, particularly in the winter months when it’s dark & cold outside.
“Of course it will be the poorest in society who will lose out the most. Because they don’t have the financial resources to pay for an expensive private gym or personal trainer. Yet all research points to a clear connection between poverty and obesity.
“We are calling on central Government to take a more joined up approach and to link its new obesity strategy with public leisure facilities.
"They are already at the heart of the community, offer a range of ways to keep physically active and have qualified fitness experts onsite.
“There really is no need to reinvent the wheel. Using the facilities and expertise that is already in place is a no brainer; it’ll be more effective, easier to implement and cheaper in the long run.”
back
|
| Latest member news |
 |
|
Community Leisure UK’s Active Kindness project celebrates after being awarded £651,003 in National Lottery funding
Active Kindness, a volunteering programme which previously received Sport England
funding, is celebrating after receiving vital National Lottery funding to leverage
the power of volunteering across public leisure and culture to create greater
community cohesion, stronger personal development of individuals and increase the
diversity of those taking part in health, wellbeing, and creative programmes.
read more...
Edinburgh Leisure Appoints New Chief Executive
Edinburgh-based physical activity charity, Edinburgh Leisure, has announced the
appointment of a new Chief Executive.
read more...
Withington Baths Receives Sports England Grant to Accelerate its Carbon Footprint Reduction Efforts
Love Withington Baths, the non-profit organisation that operates Withington Baths
and co-working space Withington Works, has announced exciting plans to
significantly reduce its carbon footprint and enhance energy efficiency thanks to
a £105K grant secured from Sport England under the Government’s Swimming Pool
Support Fund.
read more...
GLL Celebrate £140k Arts Council Funding
VR headsets, IT hublets and improved seating, shelving and flooring are on their
way to Lye Library, Dudley thanks to funding from the Arts Council.
read more...
Much-Loved Library to Receive Grant Funding of Nearly £400,000
One of Redbridge's most popular libraries will benefit from a significant
modernisation programme after being awarded nearly £400,000 in grant funding.
read more...
Horizon Leisure Scoops Prize at Portsmouth Business Awards
Horizon Leisure, which operates Havant leisure Centre and Waterlooville Leisure
Centre, was crowned Community Business of the Year at the Portsmouth Business
Awards earlier this year.
read more...
Portsmouth Tennis Centre celebrated for bringing tennis to all
Portsmouth Tennis Centre has been recognised by the LTA Tennis Awards for bringing
tennis to under-represented groups and communities throughout the city.
read more...
|
|
Wellness Hub Breaks Down Barriers to Tackle Health Inequalities in North East Lincolnshire
A new report on Lincs Inspire’s Wellness Hub has revealed the difference it is
making to community health.
read more...
Grant from Parkinson’s UK Gives Green Light to New Cycle Classes
Everybody Health & Leisure has launched a dedicated group cycling classes for
people living with Parkinson's Disease.
read more...
Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust score partnership with Club Doncaster
Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT) and Club Doncaster have agreed a
partnership that will see DCLT as an official sponsor of the Dons RLFC and sponsor
of two Belles players.
read more...
BPL Achieves Swim England’s Water Wellbeing Accreditation
AWARD winning community leisure trust BPL has achieved Swim England’s Water
Wellbeing accreditation.
read more...
Edinburgh Leisure Scale New Heights Following £100,000 Boost
Edinburgh Leisure’s flagship climbing arena at Ratho has benefitted from a major
funding investment from sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund.
read more...
78-year-old George’s marvellous weightlifting medicine
Almost an octogenarian, George Travis is still hammering out kettle bell classes
as an Active Tameside fitness instructor.
read more...
Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre Gets Massive Makeover
A Swansea leisure centre has been totally revamped with a £7.5 million investment.
read more...
|
| Business partner news |
|
|
|
|
09 Apr 2024
Oxygen Consulting deep dives into padel with forthcoming report
Oxygen Consulting is about to launch its first UK Padel Report, which
investigates this fast-growing sport.
read more...
05 Apr 2024
Ronaldo crashes the app store with launch of new wellness, fitness and health app, Erakulis
Portugese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, has launched a health and wellness app that harmonises
advice on fitness, nutrition and mental wellness in one seamless experience.
read more...
04 Apr 2024
New research shows BMI fails as a measure of childhood obesity, leading to flawed policy
Waist circumference-to-height ratio is a more reliable measure of obesity in children and
adolescents than BMI according to a new study, published in Pediatric Research.
read more...
28 Mar 2024
4Global and UK Active launch private sector health club benchmarking
The first annual Private Sector Benchmarking report was released today (27 March). A
collaboration between UK Active and 4Global, the aim of the research is to provide accurate
insight into the state of UK-based private sector health clubs.
read more...
|
|
27 Mar 2024
Egym snaps up Hussle as it moves to dominate the corporate wellness market with its Wellpass product
Egym, has signalled its intention to become a dominant force in the corporate wellness sector
with the acquisition of UK-based aggregator, Hussle.
read more...
26 Mar 2024
Total Fitness turns a profit as it beats pre-COVID membership
Total Fitness has released results for its most recent financial year (to June 23), which saw a
return to pre-COVID membership levels following a year-on-year uplift in membership numbers
of 5 per cent.
read more...
25 Mar 2024
Entrepreneurs share secrets of building a fitness business at PerformX
Enjoy building your business because the journey can be as good or better than the destination
was one takeaway of the industry titans’ panel on empire building, comprised of three industry
entrepreneurs.
read more...
22 Mar 2024
Myzone removes the hardware barrier with launch of MZ-Open, making its system available on smart watches
Myzone is now available on smart watches, allowing Android and AppleWatch wearers to record
workouts without an additional device, and taking the tech company into the multi-billion dollar
smart watch market.
read more...
|
|
|
|
| General Meetings |
 |
|
CLUK General Meeting
15 May 2024: Glasgow
|
| Special Interest Groups |
|
|
Social Value
16 April 2024
|
Volunteering
24 April 2024
|
Finance
2 May 2024
|
|
For more information about Special Interest Group and regional / national members meetings, please contact [email protected]
|
|
| Job vacancies |
|
|
Duty Manager
Salary: £30,000pa + local Govt pension + attractive benefits package
Location: Kirkwall, UK
Company: The Pickaquoy Centre
Read more and apply
|
Team Leader (Harrow School Fitness Club)
Salary: £13.71 per hour
Location: Harrow on the Hill, Harrow, UK
Company: Harrow School
Read more and apply
|
Centre Manager (Leisure)
Salary: £40,221 - £42,403pa + pension + benefits
Location: Exeter, UK
Company: Exeter City Council
Read more and apply
|
Director of Operations
Salary: £61,000 - £64,000 + exceptional pension + excellent benefits
Location: Luton, UK
Company: Active Luton
Read more and apply
|
Membership Manager
Salary: £29,605 - £32,982pa + pension + benefits
Location: Coventry, UK
Company: University of Warwick
Read more and apply
|
Chief Executive Officer, Mount Batten Centre
Salary: c£65,000pa + pension + benefits
Location: Plymouth, UK
Company: Mount Batten Group
Read more and apply
|
|
