Sport Facilities – Helping To Tackle Obesity

Obesity in the UK: a major problem

Health and fitness for people of all ages is a major social issue in the UK and one that is contributing to an over-stretched NHS. 63% of adults in England are overweight or obese, and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year.

More pressingly there is evidence of an increased risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as body mass index (BMI) increases. The government have called COVID-19 ‘wake-up call’ to the health risk associated with being overweight. This has led the UK government to launch a new obesity strategy ‘Better Health’, a raft of measures aimed to get the nation fit and healthy, to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS. Among the measures introduced is a call to get the nation active, with a 12-week weight loss plan and online resource centre.

Sports complex and facilities will play a vital role in tackling obesity

Encouraging a nation to get active during a pandemic is no easy task, particularly as winter is upon us. In the UK, 30% of all available outdoor playing time is lost due to bad weather or poor light. There is a clear need for all-weather sports facilities to support an active lifestyle, encouraging people to remain active even during the winter months, which is vital to the UK’s COVID response strategy.

Providing extra all-weather space in schools and in communities, further enables social distancing and utilises the benefits of outdoor, well-ventilated areas.
Streetspace offers an innovative solution that lends itself well to outdoor sports facilities and pitches. Our all-weather sports canopies are made from a durable tensile membrane structure that brings multi-use sport complex and facilities to schools, colleges and communities.