Want to get healthy? Go shooting. That’s the conclusion BASC has drawn from a Natural England study, which highlights links between good health and access to the outdoors.
Using the World Health Organisation’s Health Economic Assessment Tool, Natural England has estimated that decreases in physical activity as a result of reduced access to ‘greenspace’ may lead to an additional 374 deaths a year, with an economic cost of £434 million.
Applying the same metrics to shooting, BASC has estimated that if people could not shoot, 30 per cent of shooters would be a great deal less active and 40 per cent would be somewhat less active.
BASC’s scientific adviser Dr Matt Ellis said: “Using the same tools as Natural England, we could imply that this reduction in activity would lead to an additional 106 deaths per year and an economic cost of £300m.
“This report has perfectly encapsulated what shooters have always known, namely that being out in the countryside is good for one’s heart and soul. The health benefits from shooting can not be ignored.”
Leave a Reply