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UK could be more active

23/01/2008

Plans to make Britons more physically active have been outlined today by the nation's health advisors.

The proposals affect all areas of life, including the NHS, transport and building design.

The guidance, issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice), is aimed at promoting and creating built or natural environments that encourage or support physical activity.

It is the first ever national, evidence-based set of recommendations on how to improve the physical environment to encourage physical activity to improve health.

Last year a major report concluded that modern lifestyles have led to people being dangerously overweight becoming normalised.

It recommended that the government developed strategies to promote activity at an early age.

Following on from this, Nice said planning applications for new developments should always prioritise the need for people to be physically active as a routine part of their daily life.

The institute also wants cyclists and walkers to be given priority when roads are developed or maintained.

To encourage people to use the stairs instead of lifts in buildings, Nice advises that building plans ensure staircases are attractive to use and clearly signposted.

Increasing physical activity will help prevent or manage over 20 conditions and diseases, Nice says, including coronary heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Currently about two-thirds of men and three-quarters of women do not achieve the recommended level of activity for health.

Dr Gillian Leng, executive lead for the guidance and deputy chief executive at Nice said: "We know physical activity is good for your health, but increasing levels of activity can be a challenge.

"But small changes to our environment such as making it easier to walk, cycle or take the stairs as part of everyday life can be enough to help people to meet the national recommended levels.

"Every day, planners, designers and architects make decisions that affect the way people live; what we are recommending is that they should do this in a way that makes it easier for people to be physically active."