04
June
2018
|
06:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Slimming World supports Government health campaign to get people walking briskly

New figures released today (4th June) by Public Health England (PHE) show that half of adults (50%) think more than 240 minutes of exercise per week is required to see general health benefits – nearly double the recommended guidance of at least 150 minutes.[i]

Slimming World is supporting PHE’s ‘Active 10’ campaign which encourages adults to download and use the free ‘Active 10’ app to help measure – and increase – the amount of ‘brisk walking’ they do every day in 10 minute bursts or more.

In England, one in five middle-aged adults are physically inactive, meaning they do less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week.[ii],[iii] Just 10 minutes of brisk walking a day can protect and improve an individual’s health and can help build up towards the UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMO) recommendation of at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. This has been linked to health benefits including a lowered risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.[iv]

 

Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs
Whether you’re doing a few laps of your local shopping centre, hopping off the bus a stop early or walking to a meet a friend for coffee, walking can be incorporated in so many ways. The Active 10 app is a great way to track when you are managing to walk ‘briskly’ and really reap those added health benefits by doing so.  
Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs

The Active 10 app shows how much brisk walking a person is doing each day and is the first of its kind to combine intensity and time, rather than just distance. The app is a great fit with Slimming World’s Body Magic programme, which removes the barriers that make physical activity seem intimidating or daunting and helps members to find enjoyable, achievable and sustainable ways of gradually moving more and building activity into their daily routines. Together with its flexible eating plan, Food Optimising, and powerful group support, members have the knowledge, confidence and tools to manage their weight for life.

Jenny Caven, Slimming World’s Head of External Affairs, says: “The new research shows that people are overestimating how much physical activity is needed each day to have an impact on health, so it’s no surprise that many are unmotivated by the feeling that recommendations are simply unachievable. It’s good to know that short, sharp snaps of activity can have great benefits.

“At Slimming World, we know being active doesn’t have to mean joining the gym or running marathons – unless you want to, of course! Anything that gets you moving more and increases your heart rate has fantastic benefits, yes anything! Our members are encouraged to find enjoyable and sustainable ways of building more activity into their life and just 10 minutes a day really can make a difference and help boost members’ confidence so that activity becomes part of their daily routine.

“Activities like walking briskly bring amazing health benefits and it’s something that most of us can every day. Whether you’re doing a few laps of your local shopping centre, hopping off the bus a stop early or walking to a meet a friend for coffee, walking can be incorporated in so many ways. The Active 10 app is a great way to track when you are managing to walk ‘briskly’ and really reap those added health benefits by doing so.“Alongside our flexible Food Optimising eating plan that enables slimmers to lose weight without hunger, and motivating group support, getting more active is all part of finding a new lifestyle groove and developing life-long healthy habits.”

Download the Active10 app here: http://ow.ly/OWEA30kgzzp

[i] YouGov surveyed 3007 adults in England aged 40-60. Fieldwork was undertaken online between 10th - 16th May 2018. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all English adults (aged 40 - 60).

[ii] ONS Mid year Population estimates, mid-2016 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland

[iii] Public Health England, Active Lives, 2016/17

[iv] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/216370/dh_128210.pdf

Notes to Editors

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 weekly groups supporting 900,000 members across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Groups are run by a network of 4,800 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques. Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.

For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000. Follow Slimming World on Twitter at www.twitter.com/slimmingworld or become a Slimming World fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/slimmingworld 

For the Press Office please email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk

About Active 10

  • The ‘Active 10’ app first launched nationally on 24 August 2017, as part of Public Health England’s wider ‘One You’ campaign aimed at 40-60 year old adults at ‘mid-life’.
  • People are encouraged to download the free Active 10 app which shows how much brisk walking they are currently doing, and which provides tips and encouragement on how people can fit ten-minute bursts of brisk walking into their day. People can also find further hints and tips on the One You website: www.nhs.uk/oneyou
  • People can download the Active 10 app from the iTunes app store (for iOS), Google Play store (for Android).
  • The Active 10 app was developed by Public Health England in collaboration with The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, the National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM).
  • Active 10 is part of One You. Launched in March 2016, One You from Public Health England is the first nationwide programme to support adults in making simple changes that can have a huge influence on their health, could help prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease and reduce risk of suffering a stroke or living with dementia, disability and frailty in later life. It aims to inform, energise and engage millions of adults, especially those in the 40-60 ‘middle aged’ group, to make changes to improve their own health by eating well, moving more, drinking less and quitting smoking. One You also provides information on free health checks and how people can reduce their stress levels and sleep better.