A new study from Public Health Scotland estimates that 3,185 deaths in 2022 were attributable to physical inactivity.
Scottish Liberal Democrat sport spokesperson Neil Alexander commented: “This study lays bare the cost of inactivity and the role it plays in the premature deaths of thousands of Scots each year. We know how important being active is to both good physical and mental health.”
Neil Alexander added: “Too many local communities are losing access to much needed facilities as local authorities struggle to cope with the SNP Government’s funding squeeze. These statistics are a sobering reminder of how important it is to have accessible and affordable sport and leisure facilities – one of the ways government can help people be more active.”
Public Health Scotland Key findings from this study:
An estimated 3,185 deaths and over eleven thousand (11,474) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are attributable to physical inactivity in Scotland.
More than 80% of these deaths and DALYs are due to the ‘very low’ physical activity category (those doing less than 30 mins/week of moderate physical activity per week).
These estimations are larger than those produced by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study due to differences in methodology, detailed in the report.
Estimates indicate substantial regional inequalities within Scotland in the burden of disease attributable to physical inactivity.
Efforts to reduce the disease burden of physical inactivity should focus on those who are least active.
