Projected need and demand
Physical activity levels in adults in North Tyneside have not returned to pre-pandemic levels like they have nationally, and in fact they continue to decline. If this trend continues then this is likely to mean an increased demand on services dealing with the consequences of inactivity. However, activity levels in children are now higher than before the pandemic, so it may be that this helps to reduce some of the impact of this if these activity levels are maintained in adulthood.
Staying active is a key feature of healthy ageing. Being active is associated with lower rates of some chronic diseases and physical activity also helps maintain muscle mass, bone density, mobility, strength and balance, and reduces the risk of falls and fractures. Physical activity also improves brain function, including memory and attention and reduces the risk of cognitive decline.
The population of North Tyneside is ageing, in 2014 19% of the population was aged 65 or over and this is predicted to rise to 26% by 2037. This means that preventing issues associated with inactivity and reducing the impact will become even more important to prevent a further increase in the burden of these conditions.
issues associated with inactivity and reducing the impact will become even more important to prevent a further increase in the burden of these conditions.
As above, being more active can reduce the risk of falls in older people. As seen in section 5, there are already higher rates of emergency hospital admissions due to falls and hip fractures in North Tyneside. As the demographics in the Borough shift further, it is possible that this need and demand could shift further.
Sport England estimate that encouraging more active lifestyles can prevent 1.3 million cases of depression, 600,000 cases of diabetes and 57,000 of dementia and save £540 million on reduced GP appointments. Therefore, conversely, if physical activity levels continue to decline, the need and demand for these services will increase further.