Most Brits Will Not Exercise To Save Their Lives

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Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 19 Sep 2007 - 11:00 PDT

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The majority of adults in the United Kingdom hate the idea of exercising so much that even the threat of premature death does not get them off their backsides, according to a new survey by The British Heart Foundation. Asked whether they would do more exercise if their lives depended on it, a paltry 38% said 'yes'.

Even if you enjoy a healthy weight, inactivity can still affect your health detrimentally, say health care professionals.

It seems British adults prefer a brisk walk to going to the gym, swimming or dancing. Less than one-twentieth of UK adults say they find exercise enjoyable.

Health is not the main reason people might choose to do exercise in Great Britain. The greatest trigger seems to be the desire to change one's body shape, the survey revealed; this is especially the case for younger adults and women. About one-in-three young adults said that if they saw an unflattering photo of themselves they would do more exercise. Only 7% of women and 13% of men said their main motivation for doing exercise might be to maintain a healthy heart.

According to the British Heart Foundation, somebody dies every fifteen minutes in the UK because they did not do enough exercise. In fact, just one third of adults in the UK do the recommended amount of exercise.

The foundation is launching a dramatic new TV advert aimed at encouraging people to move their bodies more. It forms part of a wider campaign called The Beat. The advert starts with a lone drummer who picks up the beat of the city, one then sees other people doing different activities in time to their heartbeat. The ad then tells us that if we up our heartbeat for just 30 minutes a day we could be lowering our risk of heart disease by 50%. The British Heart Foundation says that it hopes, through the ad, to get more people thinking about their heart health and doing something about it.

As of today, the Ad will run on all major channels for three weeks.

Dr Mike Knapton, Director of Prevention and Care at the BHF, says: "This is a deadly serious issue. With our busy lifestyles and labour-saving devices, we've stopped getting the exercise our bodies desperately need. For many people, exercise has become an ugly word, something to avoid at all costs - but you'd be amazed how easy it is to up the tempo of your heartbeat. Just 30 minutes a day will do you and your heart the world of good. The BHF is trying to show people that it can be fun too."

Minimum Recommendation by the British Heart Foundation
30-minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five times a week.

-- http://www.bhf.org.uk/thebeat

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
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