Population-level Interventions Based on Walking and Cycling as a Means to Increase Physical Activity

Abstract

Physical activity can assist in decreasing the risk of such non-communicable diseases as coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes by up to 50% and can also promote mental wellbeing. Recently, the guidance for adults has been amended to recommend 30 minutes, 5 times per week of moderate to vigorous-intensity. The objective of this study was to report physical activity among UK populations via walking and cycling. This study analysed data from The Health Survey for England (HSE), Department of Health and Social Care, The Association for the Study of Obesity, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and Department for Transport. The recommended level of physical activity for man decrease significantly with increasing age, from 53% at age 16–24 to 16% at 65 plus. The proportion of women in physical activity is substantially lower, particularly once they reach the age of 65, with approximately 12% of women aged over 65 reaching the recommended levels versus 28–36% of younger women. In children, 72% of boys and 63% of girls aged between 2–15, are physically active for a duration of 60 minutes or more per week, which declines for girls after the age of 10. According to reports, walking is the most common, while cycling is the fourth most popular recreational and physical activity among the adults in the UK. An increase in the physically active population could influence health, the environment and the economy.

Keywords

• physical activity
• exercise
• walking
• cycling
• obesity
• chronic diseases