The benefits of regular exercise ought to be self-evident by now, but clearly they are not for the majority of Irish adults, writes Ronan McGreevy
Nobody doubts that regular exercise is a critical factor in combating obesity and its attendant risks of diabetes and heart disease. The risk of getting colon cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension and blood pressure, and many other chronic illnesses is significantly reduced. The old Latin saying, mens sano in corpore sano (a sound mind in a sound body) dates back to the Roman poet Juvenal, but is relevant still.
The effects of exercise in reducing tension and improving mental wellbeing are so well proven at this stage that it is now regarded as an effective treatment for depression.
Despite all that, the level of exercise among the adult population is worryingly low, especially given the sedentary lifestyles that most people now lead.
Between the ages of 20 and 35, less than 40 per cent of adults exercise, but even that unimpressive figure trails off as adults enter middle age, so that the percentage of over-50s who get the minimum requirement of 30 minutes of exercise five times a week is just 15 per cent.
The most comprehensive research, completed in 2004 and involving 4,000 adults, found that one-fifth of all Irish people take no exercise at all, and the problem is particularly pronounced among women.
Persuading more adults to exercise is the theme of 2008's Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) Move 4 Health campaign, launched yesterday. It is the fifth annual campaign by the ISCP and follows on from last year's successful Healthy Bones - a hop, skip and a jump away campaign, which was targeted at schoolchildren.
This year the campaign is entitled Get Up and Go, and is essentially designed to encourage physical activity for adults of all ages.
Throughout March, the ISCP is promoting the Get Up and Go campaign through chartered physiotherapists across the State who will be going into local businesses on a voluntary basis to promote the virtues of regular exercise.
Major employers, including Dell and Vodafone, have signed up already and some physiotherapists have requested 1,000 leaflets for distribution to workers. Ulster Bank, which is sponsoring the leaflets, will hold a Move 4 Health information day at its headquarters in George's Quay during the month.
The Get Up and Go programme takes a realistic appraisal of the time constraints on people whose longer working hours and increased commuting times are eating into the opportunities they have to exercise.
According to a recent report by the supermarket Centra, the average commuter in Ireland spends two hours and 20 minutes commuting every day. "The main reasons given by people who do not exercise are lack of interest, lack of willingness and lack of time," said Grainne Duffin, a physiotherapist based in Balbriggan who is taking part in the campaign.
"I think the fact that more and more Irish people are commuting for longer and longer periods and the fact that they are sitting at desks all day means that people don't have the motivation to go out and exercise at the end of the day.
"We're aware of that. That's why we are urging people not to make a lifestyle change, but gradually to bring exercise into their lives.
"Some of the tips we are giving include parking a certain distance from work or getting off a few steps early from the bus. Try to get out at lunchtime for a walk. Take up something you enjoy, like gardening, that involves physical activity," says Duffin.
"If you want to get a dog make sure you walk them every evening. If you have children, let them go out and play instead of letting them sit in front of the computer screen or the television."
The campaign will stress that getting regular exercise does not necessarily involve joining a gym or a sports club and can be incorporated as part of the busy routine. "You don't need to join a gym to be active. It can be expensive and time-consuming," says Duffin. "You are better off trying to make a lifestyle change. Brisk walking has as much benefit as climbing a treadmill or standing on a cross-trainer. "The best forms of aerobic exercise are walking, cycling and swimming. Walking has the benefit of being a weight-bearing activity, so it improves joint mobility, and cycling is a great exercise."
The ISCP recommends that those who are interested in taking up a regular exercise programme have a check-up with their GP before starting.
It is also recommended that they take up an attainable goal such as walking for 30 minutes twice weekly and then increase the level of activity. Those who find it tiring initially are urged to stop and rest before starting again.
The campaign will stress that it is never too late to start exercising, even for those who have reached middle-age without doing so. "Even if you have never been active before, commencing exercise in your 40s can actually decrease your risk of developing heart disease by 55 per cent," Duffin said. "Surely that's a great incentive for people when you think about the amount of heart disease that there is in this country."