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Campaign encourages people to ditch the sofa

20 July 2011

 

A campaign has been launched to encourage people in Bolton to ditch the sofa for a more active lifestyle.

The Get Up, Get Out, Get Active campaign is the latest initiative by NHS Bolton’s Get Active team, which works with local community groups and residents to find ways to make physical activity more enjoyable.

Launched today (20/7), the campaign promotes a number of easy ways to make physical activity a natural part of everyday routine.

As part of the campaign, the Active Bolton website has been redeveloped, adding more tips about how to get active to the search facility using a number of activities available across Bolton.

Residents can make an online pledge to be more active as well as logging the amount of activity they do on a daily basis.

There is also a feature that allows people to sign up to local and national events, set goals and complete challenges.

People can be active by joining leisure facilities or taking part in community exercise classes, but they can also benefit from everyday activities such as housework and taking stairs instead of the lift.

Anna Roberts, Get Active Coordinator at NHS Bolton, said: “People have many distractions in their life, which can mean they have little time for physical activity. We want to make being active the easier choice and create an environment where being active is the norm. 

“Physical activity can be fun, rewarding and have huge benefits to health and wellbeing. By giving people that little bit of a push, we can get them off the sofa and on to a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.”

The launch of the campaign coincides with the release of new government guidelines around physical activity.

These guidelines say that physical activity should be actively encouraged, with the latest evidence showing there is a clear link between physical activity and chronic disease.

They advise that adults should aim for 150mins – two and half hours – each week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Muscle strengthening activity should also be included twice a week. 

The focus is to incorporate more everyday activities into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift and walking to work or school.

The Get Active website can be found at www.activebolton.com