Friday 30 October 2009

Scottish Health Survey 2008, PA results


The Scottish Health Survey results are out for 2008. Despite the positive spin on the document it would appear that PA has not increased from 2003 tom 2008. So the document then compares rates to 1998 instead of 2003. 'The proportions of men and women aged 16 to 74 meeting the physical activity recommendations (30 minutes of at least moderate exercise on most days of the week) increased significantly from 40% in 1998 to 46% in 2008 in men, and from 29% in 1998 to 35% in 2008 in women.' Interesting, but irrelevant!

I'm sure I had previously worked out that if they wished to achieve the Scottish Government's target of 50% of adults meeting the recommended PA levels (5 days 30 mins) by 2022 they would need an increase of 0.9% per year. Initially it should also be easier to achieve as the people you add are people thinking of taking part in more PA. As you exhaust this group it will get incrementally more difficult to achieve the target.

Unfortunately to fail to achieve the 0.9% at this early stage suggests that the target wont be reached. I’m going to a seminar in two weeks to discuss the results so I shall the question. What now?

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