Beat the Street Swindon: six month report
Beat the Street Swindon set out to improve health and wellbeing amongst its residents by encouraging physical activity and active travel. Between September and November 2019, 25,979 people, 12% of the population targeted, walked, cycled, jogged and scooted over 252,000 miles.
This report summarises how the long-term impact that Beat the Street has had on physical activity levels of the participants was measured and how it has continued to support people to be active through the sustain phase of the programme.
Headline findings
- 90% of participants felt they had continued to be active following Beat the Street
- There was an 8% increase in the proportion of adults reporting 150+ minutes of activity per week (N=72)
- 73% of adults who were inactive when they registered were active six months later (8 out of 11 adults).
- There was a 19% decrease in the proportion of children undertaking less than an average of 30 minutes of activity per day (Based on n=2217 before and 20
- after)
- There was a 37% increase in the proportion of children undertaking an average of 60 minutes of activity per day (Based on n=2217 before and 20 after)
- Family activities are what respondents said they would like to do more of in sustain
* Text taken from Beat the Street six month report
Healthy Weight, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Obesity is a major public health problem which costs the NHS in Swindon £31million a year, increases costs to social services and has a negative impact on the local economy. It is caused by an energy imbalance between what we eat and what we do.
Overweight and obesity affects children and adults; in Swindon one in ten 4-5 year olds and one in five 10-11 year olds are obese. Being overweight or obese can affect people’s ability to make the most of their lives. It also increases the risk of illnesses such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and dementia.
The Swindon Healthy Weight Strategy 2017-22 includes actions to both prevent people becoming overweight and to support people who need extra help in making healthy food choices and managing their weight.
