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Get as fit as the athletes, walk up escalators escalator
Anna Davis24.03.09
A campaign to get Londoners fit before the 2012 Olympics was launched today.
Health bosses are urging people to walk up escalators and to the end of Tube platforms, and get off trains a stop early and walk the rest of the way in a bid to cut obesity levels.
The strategy comes as the cost of the unfit to the capital's health service was revealed as more than £100million.
Ruth Carnall, chief executive of NHS London, said: "Almost half of Londoners do little or no physical activity and this is a big issue for the NHS and health in the capital. Almost half of all journeys are walkable and even a short walk is a workout.
"Walking is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get Londoners active on the build-up to the 2012 Games. We need to get the people of London moving and the evidence we have shows there is no time to lose - just 30 minutes of exercise a day will make you fitter."
Department of Health figures show London's Primary Care Trusts spend an average of £3.5million a year treating patients with illnesses stemming from lack of exercise. These include heart disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Newham PCT, which is an Olympic borough, spends more than £4.5million treating patients with obesity-related diseases - one of the highest in London. Brent PCT spends the most with more than £4.6million, while Camden spends the least at £1.8million. Olympic swimmer Karen Pickering is backing the Think Feet First campaign, which will see posters at bus stops and stations.
A spokesman for NHS London said the costs of obesity vary between PCTs depending on levels of drinking, smoking and poor diets.
However, Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum said: "It is a trite to say you can tackle the problem by walking down a platform. We need to encourage adults to take 10,000 steps a day."
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "We need to shift up a gear otherwise it will be disastrous for NHS finances. This campaign is just playing at the edges of the problem."
Reader views (2)
Ditch the lift and take the stairs. If it's only a couple of flights, run up them. I've been doing it for six months now and feel significantly better. In addition, the reduction in energy use of the lift may be small but it all helps.
- Robert Nadler, London
Stairs are your friend.
- Bloke, London
