Politicians have been encouraged to devote more time championing grassroots sport in their local constituencies by the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

According to the Alliance, MPs should be using the momentum of Team GB’s and Paralympic GB’s successes in Rio to advocate physical activity as a remedy to major health and social problems in the UK.

The body has published and online resource – Get Your Kit On – A Guide to Grassroots Sport and Recreation – to help parliamentarians become “champions for grassroots sport”. The guide includes contacts and information to enable MPs to refer to the benefits of grassroots sport during Westminster debates.

According to statistics provided by the Alliance, conditions such as obesity and diabetes is costing the nation £7.4bn (US$9.8bn, €8.7bn) per year, while a recent survey revealed that 79 per cent of people believe that the government should be doing more to support grassroots sport.

James Allen, director of policy, governance and external affairs at the Sport and Recreation Alliance, said the guide was launched to help parliamentarians “recognise and articulate the value of grassroots sport”.

“We want parliamentarians to truly understand the benefits that sport can bring to people and to society so that they can be champions of community sport and recreation in Westminster and in their local constituency,” he added.