South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has challenged the First Minister over the Scottish Government’s failure to properly fund grassroots sport in Scotland at the same time the nation faces a growing number of children with serious obesity.
Earlier this month, it was reported that more than 4,000 overweight children in Scotland, some as young at two, have been referred for specialist help on the NHS since 2020/21.
During First Minister’s Questions, Brian pointed to a recent announcement that sportscotland, the national agency for sport, was launching a voluntary redundancy programme among its staff to manage its budget. The former Olympian argued that this was further evidence that the Scottish Government was failing to recognise the value of sport in people’s lives as a tool for improving people’s physical and mental health, including helping to prevent obesity.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Scotland has a growing obesity crisis and the more people who struggle to manage their weight, the more people end up suffering from conditions related to being overweight or unhealthy lifestyle.
More and more of us are being diagnosed with conditions like type-2 diabetes, not to mention cancers and heart attacks and strokes in later life. Our risk of being diagnosed with these conditions relates directly to our diet and fitness.
If we want to make a lasting impact on NHS waiting lists and the wider pressure on our health service, then we need to be thinking about how we can prevent illness and keep people healthier longer.
Giving people the opportunity to get involved in sport when they’re young, means they’re more likely to stay involved when they’re older, keeping them fitter and healthier in the process.
Sport isn’t the only solution to this problem, but it’s an important part of the puzzle and it’s time the Scottish Government realised that.”
