Doctors have called for free gym memberships to be given to young people in deprived areas to tackle the surge in obesity and diabetes.
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said people between 16 and 24 in the most deprived areas had been hit hard by the pandemic and may struggle to pay for gym membership.
Free memberships would cost the public purse £26.4 million per year but this could be mitigated by striking deals with council sports facilities and would save the health service money in the long run by reducing the healthcare burden, the college said.
Last week Sir Simon Stevens, the head of the NHS in England, pledged to intervene early to head off heart attacks, cancers and diabetes which are all linked to excess weight. He praised projects such as the North Yorkshire adult weight management service which offers weight-loss classes and drugs to people at risk of heart disease.
Professor Angela Thomas, acting president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said that a similar programme in Scotland would promote the benefits of exercise from a young age. “One of the ways to improve health is through exercise, with an awareness of the economic barriers that people often experience. We know that exercise can improve not only physical health, but mental health too,” she said.
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“While it is, of course, vital that we encourage appropriate forms of exercise among all age groups, we note that the 16 to 24-year-old demographic is least likely to be able to afford a gym membership, particularly those living in the poorest communities and who are unemployed or on low pay. Our analysis estimates that providing 16 to 24-year-olds in the poorest communities with a free gym membership could cost up to £26.4 million, and that’s assuming that everyone takes up the offer.
“We believe that for political parties to include this in their manifestos, ahead of the Scottish parliament election in May, would present a new way of establishing a healthier lifestyle for young people”.
Jackie Baillie, Labour’s health spokeswoman, said: “Over 14 years of SNP government, Scotland’s health inequalities have only gotten worse.”
Donald Cameron, the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said that free gym memberships would be considered “as part of a wider strategy to positively boost fitness”.
He said: “The benefits of gyms for people’s physical and mental health cannot be understated and that is why we have been calling for them to be reopened safely as soon as possible.”
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Willie Rennie, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, said that he would allow GPs to offer “social prescribing” which would include free exercise programmes deemed beneficial to their patients’ health. He said: “The Scottish government needs to tackle this hidden health crisis with energy and vigour. This is especially important for children and young people where healthy habits established early can stick for life.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats will invest in sport and promoting healthy lifestyles as part of a package of measures for preventative care.”
Mairi Gougeon, the Scottish sports minister, said that the SNP would double the sports budget to £100 million and offer free extracurricular sporting activities to every school pupil.
She said: “We recognise that not only does keeping active have massive benefits for our physical health but it has incredible benefits for our mental health too, something the SNP will also make a priority in the next parliament.”
The Scottish Green manifesto pledges to provide “free access to sport and physical activity for children and young people” and improve indoor sports facilities.
