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MORE than one million Scots are at risk of transport poverty

Last Updated: 11/20/2017

MORE than one million Scots are at risk of transport poverty, which would leave them without access to essential services or work, a study has shown. A study by sustainable transport charity Sustrans Scotland found that up to 20 per cent of neighbourhoods studied were at risk of transport poverty occurring. And the areas at higher risk were far more likely to be in accessible small towns (28 per cent) or accessible rural locations (30 per cent) than in remote parts of the country. Entitled Transport Poverty In Scotland the report was released at the start of Challenge Poverty Week. The research used data on household income, access to cars and public transport, and allocated risk ratings accordingly. Read more below:

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Sustrans study shows people in cities want segregated space for cycling

Last Updated: 11/17/2017

The Bike Life study is run every two years by cycling and walking charity Sustrans and seven major cities. Sustrans’ Bike Life 2017, the UK’s biggest assessment of cycling in cities, reveals four in five people (78%) want more protected bike routes built to make cycling safer, even when this could mean less space for other road traffic. The Bike Life study is run every two years by cycling and walking charity Sustrans and seven major cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester and Newcastle. Inspired by the Copenhagen Bicycle Account, it looks at progress across infrastructure, travel habits, public attitudes and the impact of cycling more widely. Bike Life shows that most people living in these cities think cycling is a good thing. Out of the thousands of residents interviewed, sixty four per cent said they would cycle more if on-road cycle routes physically separated from traffic and pedestrians were available. And over two-thirds think their city would be a better place to live and work if more people cycled. You can find out more below:

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Still too many barriers to participation in sport

Last Updated: 5/19/2017

A Scottish Parliament committee examining the levels of participation in sport says there is still work to be done in encouraging more people to take part in grassroots sport, over two years after Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games. The finding is included in an interim report of the committee’s inquiry into barriers to sport participation, the Commonwealth Games legacy and barriers to sport. Members of the committee visited Community Sports Hubs around the country and the committee also carried out a survey of over 3,000 people to gather views as to why people either do or do not participate in sport or physical activity. The biggest barrier to participation was a perceived lack of time. A shortage of local facilities and cost were also seen as significant barriers. The survey revealed that females (25%) were almost twice as likely as males (13%) to not take part in regular sport or physical activity. Feeling self-conscious and carer or family commitments were the leading reasons of non-participation for females. Read more:

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Tackling the School Run

Last Updated: 3/31/2017

In February 2016, the Scottish Government commissioned research to provide the latest evidence on school transport choices and approaches which influence these choices. It aims to inform policies that minimise car use and maximise active travel. There is no single answer to achieving high levels of sustainable transport, but combining several elements can be successful. For example, provision of infrastructure for active travel, training to allow safe use of infrastructure, initiatives to encourage behaviour change (competitions, incentives) and achieving buy-in from the whole school community. Key challenges identified by the research include safety concerns, resource constraints, sustaining active travel rates as children move through the school system from primary school to secondary school, funding pressures and wider societal norms around car use, walking and cycling. The findings are of particular interest to policy makers and practitioners working in transport, education, health, environment and planning with greater cross-departmental working integral to tackling the school run and promoting travel behaviour change. Read more below:

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Weekend warriors’ still get important health benefits

Last Updated: 2/17/2017

New research from Loughborough University, University of Leicester and University College London, has found that people who cram all of their weekly exercise into one or two sessions, eg, at the weekend have a reduced risk of death from any cause of cardiovascular disease. The study included data from 63,591 participants, which was taken from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey between 1994 and 2012. Participants' activity levels were classified as inactive, sufficiently active, weekend warriors or regularly active. Researchers examined the association between their physical activity patterns and the risk of death, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Compared with the inactive group, all groups saw a reduction in risk of death and cardiovascular disease. The researchers conclude that: “Weekend warrior and other leisure time physical activity patterns characterised by one or two sessions per week may be sufficient to reduce all-case, cardiovascular and cancer mortality risks regardless of adherence to prevailing physical activity guidelines”. The full journal article can be accessed below:

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Children's activity across the globe

Last Updated: 11/23/2016

Report cards on the physical activity of children and youth across the world have been released revealing how countries compare in getting their youth active. Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance was responsible for organising the cards which graded countries on nine common indicators, overall physical activity, organised sport participation, active play, active transportation, sedentary behavior, family and peers, school community and the built environment and government strategies and investment. The cards reflect standardised grading across countries ranging from A= excellent to F = failing. In the UK, the grades given for overall physical activity are: England D Scotland F Wales D There is no data available for Northern Ireland.

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Sport and Mental Health - Young People

Last Updated: 11/23/2016

Sport and organised exercise should be used to promote better mental health for young people (aged 14-25 years) is the conclusion of a new report published by StreetGames and the Association for Young People’s Health. Young people are most commonly affected by anxiety and depression, eating disorders, conduct disorder, substance use disorder, ADHD and autism. However, this new review shows that the benefits of sport for mental health include preventing problems from arising and promoting positive youth development to treat mental health problems once they exist. The new literature review examines the connection between young people’s mental health and sport participation focusing on the prevention and treatment of mental health problems. Its aim was to find out which components of sport seem to be linked to good outcomes, and what is known about the potential mechanisms.

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Benefits of green space on health

Last Updated: 11/23/2016

Areas with more accessible green space are associated with better mental and physical health, according to a new POSTnote by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). The POSTnote is a research summary of the physical and mental health benefits of contact with nature. Research into the public health benefits of urban green spaces has focused on three main areas: physical activity, mental health and exposure to nature as a treatment for some conditions. The POSTnote found that there is a link between people’s physical environment and their activity behaviour, with those living closer to a green space being more likely to use it. Those living closest to green areas have also been found to have reduced levels of mortality, obesity and obesity related illness.

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Changes in children’s body mass index

Last Updated: 10/25/2016

New statistics have been released by Public Health England showing the changes in children’s weight between 2006/07 and 2014/15 based on data from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).

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Children spending less time playing outdoors

Last Updated: 7/19/2016

Children spend less time playing outdoors and more time using technology than their parents did as youngsters, according to a survey by Sustrans.

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Sport and Physical Activity Research is being undertaken

Last Updated: 6/6/2016

The Robertson Trust, sportscotland, Scottish Government and the Sport for Change Network are doing some research.

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Living Streets research highlights benefits of walking

Last Updated: 5/23/2016

To coincide with National Walking Month Living Streets have published research relating to the benefits of walking.

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Paths for All Research Group Opportunity

Last Updated: 3/30/2016

Paths For All are looking for experienced Project Coordinators, Volunteer Walk Leaders and / or walkers to help with a piece of research.

survey data

UK Adults Unaware of Physical Activity Guidelines

Last Updated: 6/19/2015

Study finds two-thirds of working-age English adults don’t know the UK recommended weekly physical activity guidelines.

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Inactivity 'kills more than obesity'

Last Updated: 1/22/2015

A lack of exercise could be killing twice as many people as obesity in Europe, a 12-year study of more than 300,000 people suggests.

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