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A brand new educational report from Abertay College and the College of the West of Scotland has highlighted challenges affecting bodily exercise in Scotland and requires adjustments to the coverage and funding panorama.
The research, “Getting the inactive active: Barriers to physical activity and potential policy solutions,” was authored by Dr. David Scott from Abertay’s Division of Well being, Sport and Wellbeing, and Dr. David Meir from the College of the West of Scotland as a part of a fellowship with the Scottish Parliament Data Middle (SPICe).
Based mostly on interviews with 23 stakeholders throughout authorities, sport, and public well being, the report reveals deep-rooted inequalities and structural challenges that forestall many Scots from participating in common bodily exercise.
Presently, 22% of adults in Scotland do lower than half-hour of reasonable to vigorous bodily exercise per week—a degree linked to elevated well being dangers. Public Well being Scotland estimates that over 80% of the three,000 annual deaths linked to inactivity happen inside this group.
The report highlights key challenges reminiscent of short-term funding cycles, a disconnect between nationwide coverage and native supply, and inconsistent implementation of bodily exercise initiatives throughout Scotland’s 32 native authorities.
These structural points are seen as main obstacles to long-term planning and cultural change. The authors level to a niche between nationwide ambitions and native realities, which undermines efforts to extend participation.
To deal with these challenges, the report units out a sequence of suggestions aimed toward enhancing entry and lowering inequality in sport and bodily exercise. Key proposals embody elevated funding in applications throughout the general public and third sectors, alongside the event of a nationwide technique for neighborhood sport.
Volunteers, who stay the spine of supply, would obtain larger assist to maintain and develop their contribution.
A nationwide social prescribing framework can also be really helpful to advertise early intervention and prevention, integrating bodily exercise into well being and social care pathways.
The institution of a strong proof base—with constant monitoring and analysis throughout the sector—is seen as important to trace progress and inform future coverage.
Dr. David Scott stated, “This report highlights the persistent structural challenges that proceed to restrict participation in bodily exercise throughout Scotland—from short-term funding cycles to the disconnect between nationwide coverage and native supply. Addressing these points requires greater than good intentions; it calls for coordinated, long-term motion.
“We hope the findings spark honest and constructive conversations that lead to meaningful reform. Real progress will depend on collaboration across government, sport, physical activity practitioners and academia to deliver inclusive, sustainable and impactful change—and to help Scotland become a more active nation.”
The report additionally requires higher utilization of the college property. Whereas there are robust native examples of colleges performing as neighborhood hubs, the college property stays underutilized from a nationwide perspective. The report requires clearer coverage course to construct on present successes and drive extra constant, widespread use of college amenities throughout the nation.
Additional to this requirement, the report additionally highlights the significance of the present curriculum reform for creating alternatives to embed bodily exercise from early schooling and the significance of creating trainer data, confidence and expertise in delivering bodily exercise and bodily schooling in main colleges.
Dr. David Meir from the Division of Sport and Train at College of the West of Scotland stated, “This analysis has confirmed that there are lots of people and organizations enterprise superb work in sport, bodily exercise and schooling inside Scotland.
“There may be additionally an understanding that in the case of bodily exercise, Scotland has a wonderful coverage. In too many situations, nevertheless, alternative is proscribed by the challenges of funding and assets required for profitable coverage enactment and sustained improvement inside follow.
“The recommendations within the report are extensive across both policy enactment and development. In accepting these recommendations, it is hoped that parties across the political landscape will develop specific and achievable objectives for sport and physical activity in their upcoming election manifestos.”
Extra data:
Getting the inactive energetic: Limitations to bodily inactivity and potential coverage options. digitalpublications.parliament … 37b8ecc61#Appendix-A
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College of Abertay Dundee
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Limitations to bodily exercise in Scotland highlighted in new report calling for systemic reform (2025, September 28)
retrieved 28 September 2025
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