- England
This study found that participation in sport and exercise at “moderate intensity” for adults reduced the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and strokes by 30 per cent, colon cancer by 24 per cent, Type 2 diabetes by 10 per cent, dementia by 30 per cent and breast cancer in women by 20 per cent.
In addition, 14.1 per cent of adults participating in sport and exercise were more likely to report good health than non-participants.
As a result £1bn was saved on the reduction of CHD and stroke risks, £132m on breast cancer, £239m on Type 2 diabetes, £2.2bn on dementia, while £1.5bn was saved because of reported good health.
The biggest economic impact was the £30.4bn derived from participants’ “higher subjective wellbeing”. A 1 per cent reduction in crime over the period resulted in £41m savings, while improvements in education attainment for those taking part in physical activity netted the country £5m.
Finally, work done by volunteers in sport contributed to £7.8bn in economic impact.
