Potholes, unsafe crossings and a lack of public benches are stopping older people from staying active and driving obesity, heart disease and cancer, according to a report from MPs.
The health and social care select committee warned that inactivity has been “designed” into daily life for older people and stressed exercise is just as important as medicine.
In the UK, inactivity is associated with one in six deaths and is estimated to cost £7.4bn a year.
The MPs called for more to be done to help older people get out and exercise, including removing “policy, funding and accountability barriers that have led to inactivity being designed into daily life, particularly for older people.”
“This includes local action to remedy poorly paved streets, unsafe crossings and a lack of toilets and seating, combined with national transport and planning decisions that make moving easier,” the select committee report added.
The NHS advises adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, such as brisk walking, riding a bike or even pushing a lawnmower. It also advises people to do activities aimed at improving or maintaining muscle strength, balance and flexibility at least twice a week.
But data suggests 44 per cent of people aged 75 or older are doing less than 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week.
To help increase the levels of activity the select committee report has called for the Care Quality Commission, which regulates NHS and social care services, to ensure that exercise programmes are being provided in care homes.
“Increasing movement - especially among the least active - can prevent many of the leading causes of death, prevent the onset of frailty, dementia and disability and help narrow the unacceptable 20-year gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of the country,” the report said.
It stressed that “frailty is not an inevitable or irreversible aspect of aging” and that exercise can improve outcomes.
“Physical activity can be more effective than drugs in preventing, treating and managing many long-term conditions,” the report said.
Age UK has said the report should be a “wake-up call” and stressed that being physically active can help us to age well
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: "We hope the report also jogs national and local policymakers into recognising that there is a lot more they can and should be doing to make it easier for older people to keep moving, as a natural part of their daily lives.”
