State of the Region Report
West Wales: Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire
West Wales is a region defined by resilience, community spirit, and a proud sporting tradition. From our coastline to our valleys, physical activity has long been part of how we live, work, and connect. Yet the evidence in West Wales State of the Region report presents a clear and uncomfortable truth – unless we act now, too many people will face a future marked by preventable ill health, widening inequality, and diminished opportunity.
According to the Office for National Statistics, UK life expectancy is around the late seventies or early eighties, but only around 61 years in good health. In Wales, healthy life expectancy is lower than the UK average, and the gap between our most and least advantaged communities remains stark.
For our region, this is already visible in rising rates of chronic disease, mental health challenges, and economic inactivity linked to long-term conditions. Without intervention, today’s inactive child is likely to become tomorrow’s unhealthy adult, putting further strain on a health and social care system which is already struggling to cope with an ageing population.
A trajectory we cannot afford
Across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, participation in sport and physical activity is shaped by geography, deprivation, transport, disability, gender, and confidence. Rural isolation, coastal communities, post-industrial areas, and pockets of significant deprivation create real barriers.
We are witnessing worrying trends in:
- Rising childhood obesity
- Declining physical literacy and fundamental movement skills
- Reduced confidence in sport participation
- Increasing sedentary lifestyles
- Growing inequalities between communities
Children who lack basic movement skills are far less likely to engage in sport later in life, leading to poorer physical health, reduced mental wellbeing, and lower social connectedness and contributing to preventable conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and depression.
The regional impact
The implications extend far beyond individual health. If current trends continue, our region will face:
- Increased pressure on the NHS and social care systems
- Higher levels of economic inactivity, reduced workforce participation and productivity
- Greater demand on families and informal carers
- Deepening social and health inequalities
- Reduced resilience of our communities
When people are unable to work, participate, or live independently for significant portions of their lives, the economic and social consequences are profound.
Why this matters now
Sport and physical activity are not optional extras; they are essential infrastructure for health, wellbeing, and economic sustainability. They are among the most powerful preventative tools for improving physical health, mental resilience, educational outcomes, and social cohesion.
Yet, access is not evenly distributed and without targeted action, communities that would benefit most are often those least able to access opportunities.
As a Regional Sports Partnership, we see the transformative impact that inclusive, accessible activity can have particularly for children, young people, disabled people, and those living in deprived or rural areas.
A call for collective leadership
Reversing this trajectory will require sustained, coordinated action across sectors. Success depends on collaboration from Government through to our local authorities, health boards, schools, community organisations, clubs, businesses, and national partners.
We must move from short-term programmes to long-term system change and in so doing, ensure that every child develops the skills and confidence to be active, every community has accessible opportunities, and every resident can lead a healthier life.
Choosing the future of West Wales
The picture described in the State of the Region report is not inevitable. It is the result of choices, about investment, priorities, environments, and access.
If we fail to act, we risk locking in decades of inactivity, ill health, and inequality. If we act now, we can create a different future – one in which more people live longer, healthier, more productive lives. One where communities are connected and resilient and where sport and physical activity are truly for everyone.
This report is both a warning and an opportunity. The health and prosperity of future generations across West Wales depend on the decisions we make today.
Sue Barnes
Chair
