TWENTY years ago the nation’s health challenge was to become smoke free; today it’s inactivity which is causing increased health risk and costing the NHS in Essex alone £58 million each year.

Active Essex, the county sports partnership (CSP) has launched a new four year strategy to tackle the issues around inactivity and change one million lives by getting Essex active.

The strategy is backed by Essex County Council, Sport England, 12 local councils and the two unitary authorities in Greater Essex. The 14 local Active Networks across Essex are all developing individual plans for their areas so collectively the one million target can be met by 2021.

Active Essex will focus on four main priorities; to drive and sustain participation in physical activity; improve health and wellbeing amongst specific groups who are currently inactive; develop the people and organisations who work or volunteer in the sector and strengthen the local partnerships and networks between all those involved in delivering the plan.

Azeem Akhtar, Chair, Active Essex, said: “There are many conditions associated with inactivity such as the increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease and we’ll be working with the residents of Greater Essex and our partners to change 1 million lives and get Essex Active.”