Brits told to get off their bums and exercise!

Sep 20 2007

A new survey of Brits has found that most people are so unwilling to exercise that even the prospect of a heart attack is not enough to persuade them.

The survey by YouGov found that only 38% of people questioned would do more exercise if their life depended on it.

It is common knowledge that a lack of exercise increases the risk of heart disease and cancer yet statistics from the British Heart Foundation indicate that just a third of people manage to do enough exercise to achieve the minimum recommended amount... a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five times a week.

Experts warn that inactivity is dangerous even in those who are a healthy weight and say physical activity and obesity are two separate risk factors and those who are slim but inactive increase their risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The survey questioned 2,100 people and only 4% said they found exercise fun.

Most favoured was brisk walking, followed by dancing, swimming or going to the gym.

Exercising to change body shape was a motivating factor particularly among women and young adults and almost a third of 18 to 24-year-olds reported they would do more exercise if they saw an unflattering photo of themselves or were told they looked fat.

Other motivating factors included fancying someone at work or the gym... but only 13% of men and 7% of women said keeping a healthy heart was their main motivator.

Excuses for not exercising ranged from not having enough time to the weather and the clinical director of the National Obesity Forum, Dr. David Haslam says the findings are depressing and confirm that even people who had experienced a heart attack were reluctant to change their lifestyles.

The British Heart Foundation is launching a campaign which says that someone dies every 15 minutes as a direct result of physical inactivity and aims to encourage people to increase their heart rate for 30 minutes a day.

Experts say busy lifestyles, labour-saving devices and cars stop people getting the exercise their bodies desperately need; they say the 30 minutes a day needed to benefit the heart should be incorporated into everyday life.

Regular exercise lessens the risk of diabetes and heart disease, offers some protection against breast and colon cancer and reduces the chances of a person dying earlier than normal by 30%.