Games legacy ‘will not tackle couch potatoes’

Ministers were today accused of failing to fully use the Olympics to tackle Britain’s couch-potato culture.

A Parliamentary committee criticised the Government for not putting enough focus on the public health benefits of the Games.

Lord Krebs, chairman of the Lords science and technology committee, said: “Government is failing to act in a consistent way to ensure that the Olympics help us tackle one of our greatest health threats, sedentary lifestyles. We are not convinced that the Olympic legacy will, as promised, help the nation be ‘healthier, happier and more active’.”

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport rejected the criticism, highlighting the School Games, a £1 billion five-year youth sport strategy, and a series of healthy living initiatives. A spokesman added: “The Government is investing £30 million in the first ever national centre that will focus NHS expertise on getting everyone to stay active and healthy.”

A study published in the Lancet said Britain has one of the world’s most sedentary populations — with 63.3 per cent failing to meet recommended levels of physical activity, compared with 40.5 per cent in the US and 32.5 per cent in France.