Nearly a quarter of Scottish children still not getting enough exercise

Nearly a quarter of Scottish children are still not getting the recommended amount of exercise, according to new official figures.

While the total number of two to 15 year olds meeting recommended levels of physical activity increased from 71 per cent in 2008 to 76 per cent 2014, the number of adults getting recommended exercise levels remained unchanged at 63 per cent.

The Scottish Health Survey also found both adult obesity and child obesity levels have remained relatively stable since 2008 – 28 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

It found that 65 per cent of adults are overweight, including 28 per cent who are obese, with 77-78 per cent of those aged 55-74 either overweight or obese. Around a third of people aged 45-74 were found to be obese.

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “We have invested almost £3 million in physical activity projects, including those aimed at specific groups furthest away from meeting physical activity guidelines – older adults and teenage girls. This is backed up by investment in school sport, £50 million invested in Active Schools from 2015-19, and a commitment to deliver 150 Community Sport Hubs across all local authorities by 2016. Our Legacy 2014 Active Places fund has benefited 188 projects in every part of Scotland.”

The report found that average alcohol consumption, on the heaviest drinking day in the week, declined between 2003 and 2014, falling from 6.5 to 5.5 units for men, and from 3.6 to 3.1 units for women. But while consumption levels fell between 2008 and 2011, drinking levels have not changed in the years since.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “The Scottish Health Survey shows that there is still work to be done to encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles. The Scottish Government has a range of measures in place to encourage people to eat healthier diets, quite smoking, drink less alcohol and take more physical activity.”

In 2014, 4,659 adults and 1,668 children took part in the Scottish Health Survey.