There is no doubt that modern life can be full on and many of us scarcely have time to look after number one, but a worrying new survey has revealed the sobering consequence of this; up to six million 40-60 year olds don’t manage to walk a brisk 10-minutes each month, leading to serious health issues!

The findings, published in a new report by Public Health England (PHE), show that changing lifestyles are a big factor. We are far less active than we were in the 1960s and now walk on average 15 miles less a year than we used to. The lack of exercise and physical activity can have far reaching health consequences with physical inactivity being the root cause contributing to one in six deaths in the UK and is costing the NHS more than £0.9 billion per year.

A 10-minute walk a day keeps the doctor awayAll quite depressing, but the good news is that you can start to do something about it today.  PHE has launched a new One You campaign to encourage adults to build 10 minutes continuous brisk walking into their day as a simple way to improve their health. This is particularly aimed at those who have an inactive or low activity lifestyle and may find incorporating activity into their day challenging.

 A 10-minute walk a day keeps the doctor away

While many of us are daunted by the recommendation of digital products that tell us to aim for 10,000 steps a day, not always achievable when you are tied to the desk, screen or steering wheel for eight hours a day, a handy new app has therefore been developed to help people incorporate and monitor their daily exercise. The ‘Active 10’ app provides tips and encouragement on how to fit just ten-minute bursts of brisk walking into your daily routine.

A 10-minute walk a day keeps the doctor away

Professor Sir Muir Gray, Clinical Adviser for the Active 10 app and the One You campaign, said: “It’s important to consider both distance and intensity of walking to get the heart pumping in order to improve health. Walking briskly for ten minutes each day benefits inactive adults the most, which is why the Active 10 app fits millions of people’s needs so well.”  

Dr Zoe Williams, GP and Clinical Champion for Physical Activity and Lifestyle at the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “As GPs, we’re best placed to talk to people about how their lifestyles affect their health. Every GP should talk to their patients about the benefits of brisk walking and recommend the Active 10 app. It’s the first free app of its kind and an easy, accessible way to make brisk walking a daily habit.”

To find out more about the free ‘Active 10’ app and to download it. Click here.

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