Stoptober is an initiative to help people stop smoking during October. The experts say by stopping for 28 days you are five times more likely to stop for ever. For those who don’t smoke why not use October to get more active – especially as inactivity is ‘killing as many as smoking’ according to a report that appeared in the medical journal, The Lancet.
Researchers suggest a new way of thinking is required – rather than being reminded of the benefits of exercise we now need to be warned about the dangers of inactivity. They suggest that there should be a worldwide challenge to “make physical activity a public health priority to improve health and reduce the burden of disease.”
Physical Activity needs to be more convenient, affordable and safer.
Maybe we could learn something from the Colombian capital of Bogota. One of the largest cities in South America with the streets packed with cars from Monday to Saturday. On a Sunday cars are banned, not only making Bogota a more pleasant place to walk or cycle, it also has a health benefit. Of around a million residents one fifth said they would not be active if there was no vehicle ban. Car free cities have been tried in other countries but Bogota seems to have got it right. Dr Michael Pratt who was one of the researchers in the Lancet report says of the Colombian scheme: “this is a wonderful example of how governments could be encouraging more exercise”
Just as we have Stoptober for smoking, maybe we can beat the dangers of inactivity by getting the exercise habit?