No images? Click here Your weekly physical activity bulletin26 April 2022 We are working towards improving the health and wellbeing of the nation through sport, exercise and physical activity. For more information on our work visit our website or follow us on Twitter @NCSEM_PAnews Safe spaces in sport vital for the prevention of youth knife crime – new studySafe spaces provided by sporting clubs and community initiatives are vital for the prevention of youth knife crime, a Loughborough University study has found. Researchers highlighted that spaces provided by places such as sports clubs provide young people at risk of knife crime a stable environment in which they can develop themselves and interact safely with others. Additionally, findings showed that it provides individuals with the stability and protection they would otherwise not have in their lives. The report also details the importance of understanding the reasoning behind why youths may be at risk and vulnerable to knife crime. This goes beyond the physical place where they live – the postcode – but also details the social, economic, emotional, and psychological ‘place’ they are in. The two-phase research programme, conducted by Dr Holly Collison-Randall, Professor Aaron Smith, and PhD student Anna Farello, targeted selected sports programmes in the UK via surveys and in-depth virtual interviews with coaches and managers of six such projects across London boroughs. Stop the clocks: Brisk walking may slow biological ageing process, study showsA new study of genetic data published recently of more than 400,000 UK adults has revealed a clear link between walking pace and a genetic marker of biological age. Confirming a causal link between walking pace and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) – an indicator of biological age – the Leicester-based team of researchers estimate that a lifetime of brisk walking could lead to the equivalent of 16 years younger biological age by midlife. Researchers from the Leicester Biomedical Research Centre studied genetic data from 405,981 middle-aged UK Biobank participants and found that a faster walking pace, independent of the amount of physical activity, was associated with longer leukocytes. While the physical, mental, social and health benefits of walking are well-documented, this study is one of the first of its kind to compare genetic data with both self-reported walking speeds, as well as actual measurements of movement intensity from wearable activity tracking devices worn by participants. This Girl Can campaign partners with well known brandsThis Girl Can has announced partnerships with two well known brands as it continues its quest to inspire more women to get active on their own terms. The partnerships, which will launch in May, are the first in an innovative new working model for the award-winning campaign. Celebrating and building women’s confidence to get active has been at the heart of This Girl Can since its launch in 2015 and this new model will see the campaign work with high-profile brands and organisations to reach new audiences, while continuing to celebrate and champion active women everywhere. These partnerships will help This Girl Can continue to break down the barriers that can stop women from getting active, like fear of judgement and fear of not being fit enough. A new WHO tool to empower organized sports clubs to promote healthWhile sports clubs can often be seen as places for competition and athletic performance, there are many opportunities for sports clubs to contribute to overall health improvements in the community that have not yet fully been harnessed. WHO’s new Health-Promoting Sports Clubs – National Audit Tool will help countries of the WHO European Region to develop this potential while increasing physical activity levels, improving health literacy and promoting healthier choices. The National Audit tool can help countries to review how effectively they support sports clubs to promote health and, if needed, take steps for further improvement. It offers a method to gather data on existing policies and strategies, measure national commitment, identify key stakeholders, raise awareness on existing practices, and share positive and negative experiences. It will support the new WHO Sports and Health Programme, launched in April 2022 to help people all over the world lead healthy lives by promoting participation in sports and working with the sports community to advance health for all. New study identifies how obesity may increase the risk of developing womb cancerLifelong excess weight almost doubles a woman’s risk of developing womb cancer, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in BMC Medicine. The international study looked at genetic samples from 120,000 women from around the world, of which about 13,000 had endometrial cancer. From these samples, researchers at the University of Bristol were able to identify hormones that may act as potential causal mechanisms linking excess weight to increased risk of endometrial cancer. Being overweight or obese is the second highest preventable cause of cancer in the UK. It’s estimated that more than 1 in 20 cancer cases in the UK are caused by excess weight. Womb cancer is one of the cancer types most closely linked with obesity. It’s the most common gynaecological cancer in high income countries and is the fourth most common cancer for women in the UK – 1 in 36 women will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Lifestyle, exercise and dietary interventions encouraging maintenance of a healthy weight therefore remain as the basis for the prevention of womb cancers. Daughters and Dads Active and Empowered ProgrammeDaughters and Dads Active and Empowered is a free physical activity and education programme for young girls (5-11) and their fathers/father-figures who want to be more active together. It was delivered in partnership with the EFL Trust, Fatherhood Institute and University of Newcastle (Australia) through funding from Sport England and the National Lottery Fund. It is a programme proven to support girls, fathers, father-figures and their families to become more physically active, increase sport skills proficiencies and improve girls’ confidence, resilience, social and emotional well-being. Over the last 3 years, the programme was delivered by six club community organisations and has helped over 400 girls, fathers, father figures and their families in the UK strengthen father-daughter relationships and break down barriers that are preventing girls from taking part in physical activity More Scots walking the walk to healthier livesThe Scottish Household Survey, which shapes the Scottish Government’s approach to policy, found that 86% of adults had participated in physical activity in the four weeks leading up to the survey – and of that large cohort the most common activity was walking – with 82% of adults having walked for at least 30 minutes. Disabled adults also opted for walking with 61% saying this was their most common activity, while women were just as likely to pull on trainers or walking shoes than men – 85% compared to 87%. Not surprisingly taking part in physical activity varied by age group. Younger adults – aged 16 to 24 – were more likely to take part in recreational walking (89%) than those aged over 75, and the survey found 36% of this older cohort did not participate in any physical activity. A separate report by Nature Scot – Enjoying the Outdoors – established that local parks and spaces were the most visited sites and that 79% of those surveyed took part in walking (August to September 2021), with more than half enjoying walks of two miles or less, while 41% enjoyed longer walks of between two and eight miles. You are receiving this email because you signed up to receive it either via the SSEHS Active website or the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (East Midlands) website. 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