Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage a range of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and several cancers. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintain healthy body weight and can improve mental health, well-being and quality of life (WHO, 2021).

In September 2019 the four UK Chief Medical Officers (CMO) of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland published a report which updates the 2011 physical activity guidelines. The UK CMOs draw upon global evidence to present guidelines for different age groups, covering the volume, duration, frequency and type of physical activity required across the life course to achieve health benefits. (UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines, 2019). In Wales in 2019/20, 53% of the adult population achieved the recommended 150 minutes or more of moderate physical activity per week with one in three adults undertaking less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per week (National Survey for Wales, 2020).