10 July, 2026
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ukactive has issued the following statement in response to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO’s) refreshed physical activity guidelines, which reflects the latest scientific evidence on physical activity.
Cameron Saunders, CEO of ukactive, said: “Physical activity is the foundation of preventing ill health and improving our nation’s wellbeing. A quarter of adults in England do less than 30 minutes of activity a week so these guidelines provide a huge opportunity to reduce health inequalities by helping more people to take the first step.
“As well as aerobic activity, it’s vital to include activities that support strength and balance; these are crucial at all ages to stay healthy, independent and to avoid injury. Strength activities help prevent musculoskeletal conditions and are also essential for those using obesity medication for weight management.
“Strength can come from everyday tasks like heavy gardening or DIY and today it’s great to see more women and older adults enjoying resistance training in the gym too.
“Physical activity is proven to prevent more than 20 chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, many types of cancer, depression, anxiety, and dementia – put simply, by being more active we can live happier, healthier lives.”
To read more about the UK Chief Medical Officers’ report and access the guidelines, click here.
ukactive and Les Mills published a consumer report which examined the nation’s relationship with strength exercise – discover the findings here.
