Health equity must be the lens, not an afterthought
This week, we had the privilege of running a workshop as part of our Nature Moves project.
We delivered a playful, explorative movement class —as an alternative to traditional exercise sessions for older adults. Playing games, chatting with others, and moving your body in ways that feel fun, safe and a little bit challenging.
Being part of the Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections (#SPARC) conference reminded me of the scale of the challenge—and the hope that community-led initiatives like Nature Moves can offer.
Some statistics shared at the conference stuck with me:
Across all ages and income brackets, men are more active than women, with this disparity starting as early as age 12.
In areas of high deprivation, physical activity levels are consistently lower across every age group.
I haven’t reviewed the studies behind these figures or how they defined physical activity, but one thing is clear: the barriers to long-term physical activity are dizzyingly complex.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s burden of disease is expected to rise by 21% over the next 20 years, with the greatest impact on older adults and lower-income populations.
But there is hope. Community-led projects deliver far more than just movement. They create:
Social connections and a sense of belonging
“Third spaces” beyond home or work, where people feel safe, valued, and heard
Opportunities for growth, confidence, and flourishing
My takeaways from the conference:
✅ The biggest health gains come from moving people from “doing nothing” to “doing something.”
✅ Community-led initiatives adapt to the needs of their participants.
✅ A single positive experience can reshape someone’s attitude towards physical activity for life.
As Professor Cindy Gray said in her keynote: “Health equity must be the lens, not an afterthought.”
So, the question remains: What can we all do to help more people move more?
Movement, exercise, and physical activity must be a collective effort. We often say it takes a village to raise a child, but we need that village throughout our lives. What does it take to raise a village?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. How can we better support community-led solutions to improve health equity and physical activity in areas of need?
Some resources that might be interesting on this:
Interview with Dr Callum Leese - we cover the challenges of individualism
Cormac Russell: We Don’t Have a Health Problem, We Have a Village Problem
Wendell Berry: Health is Membership
