Getting the inactive active: Barriers to physical activity and their potential policy solutions

Author: Dr David Meir, University of the West of Scotland, and Dr David Scott, Abertay University

PDF Published: Friday 10 Jan 2025 (SB 25-03)

Expand
Overview
Report

Hide

Hide

Overview
Report
- Summary
- Introduction
- Review aims and objectives
- The sport and physical activity landscape in Scotland
  - External factors affecting physical activity provision in Scotland
  - Devolved powers available to support physical activity provision in Scotland
- Poverty and economic inequality
- Health inequalities
- Barriers to participation in physical activity
  - Young people
  - Gender disparity
  - Equality, diversity, and inclusion
  - Geographical variations
  - Disability
  - An ageing population
- Building a coherent and comprehensive evidence base
- The economic impact of inactivity
- Evidence gaps and future recommendations
- Conclusion
Sources

A graphic showing key organisations involved in physical activity provision in Scotland.

Image: The sport and physical activity landscape in Scotland

The Health Foundation. (2023, January). Leave no one behind: The state of health and health inequalities in Scotland. Retrieved from https://www.health.org.uk/publications/leave-no-one-behind [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2024). Physical Activity for Health: Scotland’s National Framework. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/physical-activity-health-framework/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

World Health Organisation. (2018, June 1). Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: more active people for a healthier world. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241514187 [accessed 12 November 2024]

Public Health Scotland. (2024, July 10). Delivering sustainable public services through prevention. Retrieved from https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/delivering-sustainable-public-services-through-prevention/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2019, September). A review of the Scottish Sporting Landscape: The Jarvie Report. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/corporate-report/2019/09/review-scottish-sporting-landscape/documents/review-scottish-sporting-landscape-jarvie-report-2019/review-scottish-sporting-landscape-jarvie-report-2019/govscot%3Adocument/review-scottish-sporting-landscape-jarvie-report-2019.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2019, June). Sports participation in Scotland: Trends and future prospects. Retrieved from https://www.oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Final-Revised-participation-report-for-publication28-05-2019.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee. (2023, October 9). Female participation in sport and physical activity inquiry report. Retrieved from https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/HSCS/2023/10/9/44f3cbcf-b4f5-429b-822d-93fdd1e60353-1 [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2022, June 21). National Care Service - health and demographic profile: evidence. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-care-service-scotlands-health-demographic-profile/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2020, April). Sport and social inequality. Retrieved from https://www.oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sport-Social-Inequality-Tess-Kay-review-paper-1.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

McCrorie, P., Mitchell, R., Macdonald, L., Jones, A., Coombes, E., Schipperijn, J., … Ellaway, A. (2020). The relationship between living in urban and rural areas of Scotland and children’s physical activity and sedentary levels: a country-wide cross-sectional analysis. BMC Public Health, 20(304). doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8311-y

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2023, August). Understanding Disability Sport in Scotland. Retrieved from https://oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Understanding-disability-in-sport-Aug-23-spreads.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2023, December 12). Scottish Household Survey 2022: Key Findings. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-household-survey-2022-key-findings/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Parliament. (2023, November 23). Initial response from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing, and Sport to the Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee's inquiry report into female participation in sport and physical activity. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/health-social-care-and-sport-committee/correspondence/2023/female-participation-in-sport-initial-response.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2020, September 29). Scottish Health Survey 2019. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2019-volume-1-main-report/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Bardid, F., Tomaz, S.A., Johnstone, A., Robertson, J., Craig, L.C.A., & Reilly, J.J. (2022). Results from Scotland's 2021 report card on physical activity and health for children and youth: Grades, secular trends, and socio-economic inequalities. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 20(4), 317-322. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.07.002

Volf, K., Kelly, L., Bengoechea, E.G., Casey, B., Gelius, P., Messing, S., … Woods, C. (2022). Evidence of the impact of sport policies on physical activity and sport participation: a systematic mixed studies review. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14(4), 697-712. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2022.2127835

Duffell, T., Haycock, D., & Smith, S. (2023). Exploring the increasing interdependence of community sport and health policy in England. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 15(4), 603-618. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2023.2228800

Scottish Government. (2018, July 12). A More Active Scotland: Scotland’s Physical Activity Delivery Plan. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/active-scotland-delivery-plan/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Data for Children Collaborative, University of Edinburgh. (2024, June 19). COVID-19, children and sport: How did COVID-19 change children's sport in Scotland and what are the lessons for future policy?. Retrieved from https://efi.ed.ac.uk/building-a-better-future-for-childrens-sports-in-scotland/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2022, November 8). Scottish Health Survey 2021. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2021-volume-1-main-report/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Does public policy underestimate the value of sport to social benefit, population health and wellbeing? The implications for sport and public policy in Scotland. (2023, April 28). Retrieved from https://oss.scot/new-policy-could-address-decline-and-help-sport-improve-society/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Dellacasa, G., & Oliver, E.J. (2023). A case for ‘Collective Physical Activity’: moving towards post-capitalist futures. Annals of Leisure Research. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2023.2208446

Scottish Parliament. (2017, November 27). Sport for Everyone: Health and Sport Committee inquiry report. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/HS/2017/11/27/Sport-for-Everyone/HSS052017R14.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Jiang, R.S., & Whigham, S. (2024). Sport and policy in ‘contested nations’: Analysing policy and political considerations in Taiwan and Scotland. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 59(4), 539-558. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902231212827

Scottish Government. (2019, April 25). Volunteering for All: National framework. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/volunteering-national-framework/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Parliament. (2022, September 28). Tackling health inequalities in Scotland: Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee inquiry report. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/HSCS/2022/9/28/c2d290be-c302-4d47-8443-90394391f0bd-4/HSCS062022R11.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Glasgow Centre for Population Health. (2016, May). History, politics and vulnerability: Explaining excess mortality in Scotland and Glasgow. Retrieved from https://www.gcph.co.uk/latest/publications/310-history-politics-and-vulnerability-explaining-excess-mortality [accessed 12 November 2024]

National Records of Scotland. (2020, October 6). Scotland's Population 2019 - The Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends. Retrieved from https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/stats-at-a-glance/registrar-generals-annual-review/2019 [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Parliament. (2022, May 13). Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People: Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Inquiry Report. Retrieved from https://bprcdn.parliament.scot/published/HSCS/2022/5/13/bcc3be8f-4d1c-41c1-9036-cfa112ff7e47/HSCSS062022R7.pdf [accessed 7 January 2025]

Research Scotland. (2018, May). Evaluation of sportscotland supported activity: schools and education. Retrieved from https://sportscotland.org.uk/media/jgync0un/schools-and-education-wider-evaluation-full-report-final.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Research Scotland. (2016, January). Equality and Sport Research. Retrieved from https://sportscotland.org.uk/media/mjbdc3i5/equality-and-sport-research-final-report.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2020, May 12). Sports Participation and Ageing: Influence and Impact. Retrieved from https://www.oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sports-Participation-and-Ageing-Paper.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Plan4Sport. (2022, July). Changing The Boundaries: The Plan4Sport Independent Review into Racism in Scottish Cricket. Retrieved from https://sportscotland.org.uk/media/pqflh3e1/changing-the-boundaries-independent-review-into-racism-in-scottish-cricket-report-1.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Sport Wales. (2022). Sport and active lifestyles: state of the nation. A statistical release from the national survey for Wales 2021-22. Retrieved from https://www.sport.wales/research-and-insight/sport-active-lifestyles-state-of-the-nation-report/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Sport England. (2021). Active Lives children and young people survey academic year 2019-2020. Retrieved from https://www.sportengland.org/research-and-data/data/active-lives [accessed 12 November 2024]

sportscotland. (2020). Equality and Sport Research 2020. Retrieved from https://sportscotland.org.uk/about-us/our-publications/archive/equality-and-sport-research-2020/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2021). Disability Sport Research Review. Retrieved from https://oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Disability-Sport-Review-Aug-2021-final.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

Scottish Government. (2020, February 21). Scottish Health Survey 2018: main report - revised 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2018-volume-1-main-report/ [accessed 12 November 2024]

Davison, R., & Cowan, D. (2023). Ageing, sport and physical activity in Scotland. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1213924

Observatory for Sport in Scotland. (2019). Sport Participation in Scotland: Quantifying the Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Sport-in-Scotland-benefits-Davies.pdf [accessed 12 November 2024]

UNESCO, . (2023). Impact investment in sport: innovating the funding of sport for development. (n.p.): UNESCO.

Meir, D., Brown, A., Macrae, E., & McGillivray, D. (2023). Country profile: sport and physical activity policy in Scotland. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 16(1), 181-197. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2023.2271940

Last Updated: 13/7 9:57pm

Image: The sport and physical activity landscape in Scotland

An error occured while loading, please try again in a few minutes.