Healthy Living

Healthy living is a pillar that cuts across physical and mental health, wellbeing, lifestyle choices, social and pro-social development, economic growth, and crime and violence prevention efforts. The role of sport is to be positioned as a vehicle for countering health and social risk factors as well as positively intervening in times of crisis.

Currently in the UK, obesity rates are 26% of the population, with key contributory factors including poor nutrition education, poverty and lack of access to physical activity and sport. With the drastic reduction in youth services (NYA, 2013) initiated by the UK Coalition government’s austerity policies from 2010 onwards and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, community sport organisations have become increasingly important in supporting the growing number of children living in poverty. The Healthy Living programme, which includes community and school-based initiatives, has been framed to enhance local approaches for tackling obesity, nutrition education and physical activity. 

At the same time, better health is not defined here as just a physical and mental goal but also has social, safety, and security dimensions within local communities.  The UK certainly needs to address these latter areas. In regard to crime and young people, for example, the most recent figures, published in 2023, show there were approximately 59,000 arrests of children for notifiable offences. This was an increase of 9% on the previous year, and the second consecutive year in which arrests of children increased. In the year ending March 2023, there were around 50,500 offences involving a sharp instrument in England and Wales, again heightening the fear around Britain’s knife crime crisis. The lack of safety and security within communities magnifies issues of wellbeing amongst young people, as well as across wider populations. In many cases and contexts, sport has become established as a valued intervention tool for both preventing crime and violence in urban cities and for enhancing community-based youth development. Sport and physical activity are seen as countering risks to wellbeing and safety, while strengthening community resilience, security and health.

In a broader context, sport and physical activity are seen as having wider social, economic, and cultural benefits, such as in promoting social integration and cohesion, enhancing national economies, and enabling expressions of cultural belonging and identity. Additionally, UNESCO highlight how sport and physical activity represent ‘smart’ policy options for governments, through high ‘social returns on investment’.  State spending on sport and physical activity will enhance health and wellbeing, and generate much greater returns through, for example, better employment and productivity, and savings on health services and in the criminal justice system.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ was awarded a UNESCO Chair in Sport, Physical Activity and Education.  The aim is to develop and advance knowledge, policy and practice in how sport, physical activity and education can be used in the physical, personal and social development of young people across the world. Led by Professor Richard Giulianotti and supported by a large team of academics and students, the chair’s activities have included local and international research and regularly contributing to enhancing policy and practice, on the use of sport, physical activity and education for development purposes. A particular focus has been on supporting the pursuit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, notably with respect to good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reducing inequalities, and climate action. 

Foreword authored by Professor Richard Giulianotti, UNESCO Chair in Sport, Physical Activity and Education for Development, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's School of Sport, Health and Exercise Science

Case studies

Research by Professor Emma Haycraft, and Professor Amanda Daley, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's Centre for Lifestyle and Medicine Behaviour, Dr Chris McLeod, Visiting Fellow in Behavioural Science, Public Health, and EDI

Daily vegetable intake is crucial for children’s health and development due to their high micronutrient content, which helps prevent non-communicable diseases and obesity. However, many UK children do not consume enough vegetables, with one-third of 5-10-year-olds eating less than one portion a day.

While current guidelines encourage vegetable consumption, they often exclude breakfast. Studies show that offering vegetables at breakfast is feasible and acceptable in nursery settings and at home, with positive responses from both children and caregivers. Recommendations include integrating vegetables into breakfast menus in nurseries and launching awareness campaigns to promote this practice among caregivers.

Research by Dr Carolynne Mason, Dr Caron Walpole (º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences), Dr Haydn Morgan (University of Bath) and Professor Rosie Meek (Royal Holloway, University of London)

The reduction in youth services due to austerity, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, has increased the importance of community sport organisations in supporting children living in poverty, particularly black children who face higher rates of poverty and involvement in the criminal justice system.

In 2023, the Ministry of Justice invested £5 million in the Youth Justice Sport Fund, supporting 220 organisations to help vulnerable young people through sport. The programme aimed to prevent crime and build the capacity of sport organisations to work with criminal justice partners. Research showed positive outcomes, with high engagement from young people and support from caregivers and staff.

Recommendations include investing in workforce development, leveraging specialist organisations, and fostering long-term commitment and partnership in the youth justice and sport sectors.

Research by Dr Holly Collison Randall, Dr Anna Farello, Professor Aaron Smith, Jack Pippard, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London

Research highlights the effectiveness of sports programs in preventing crime and reducing violence by providing structured activities that promote positive choices among at-risk youth. These programs instil teamwork, discipline, and resilience, enhancing participants’ life skills, self-esteem, and community safety.

A study led by º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London and funded by the Violence Reduction Unit and Greater London Authority focused on early years (ages 3-7) interventions in London, using a three-phase approach to assess sports activities, stakeholder networks, and program effectiveness. Key findings include the importance of safe, inclusive spaces, trusted coach relationships, and long-term partnerships with local services. Recommendations emphasize sustained funding, hyper-local engagement, and collaborative efforts to maximize impact.

Research by Dr Verity Postlethwaite, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences

The UK event industry, valued at around £42 billion, significantly contributes to economic, cultural, and social cohesion. A new project by º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, Spirit of 2012, and Counsel explored the potential for a UK Capital of Sport, focusing on health and wellbeing. The study gathered insights from over 150 stakeholders and reviewed various event models.

Key findings emphasized the importance of political and economic support, community engagement, and sustainability. Recommendations include early dialogue with key partners, prioritizing financial and environmental sustainability, and aligning health and wellbeing approaches under the ‘Capital of Sport’ banner to enhance community benefits.

Key themes

Social outcomes and education

Healthy Living aligned with social outcomes and education practices and initiatives consistently through the inquiry. Living Well and Healthy Living required physical, mental and emotional good health and this was often achieved through sport interventions, access to physical activity projects and investment in early year’s education and services. Sport and physical education/activities were positioned as an enabler of healthy living. Social outcomes often sought to counter community challenges associated with austerity, lack of opportunity and inclusion and wider social issues. Again, sport was considered and evidenced through research as a positive tool for social change and education. 

Crime reduction

Feeling safe, secure and shielded from crime and violence is part of the ambition of healthy living. This aligns to good mental health, positively empowered young people, supported family structures and economic mobility. º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has identified sport and physical activity as a key tool as part of local crime reduction interventions, early year’s prevention and criminal justice services provisions. Whilst research has identified that more can be done to support local sport actors in this context, research findings show that healthy living, security and sport cultures enable positive outcomes.

Place based investment

Community-based, locally led and place-based implementation and investment was consistently adopted not only as a research approach but as an enabler of healthy living through sport and physical activity. Placed based investment in sport, social reform through sport and sport based services facilitated local engagement, empowerment and economic growth.