Scotland’s
first Physical Activity Awareness Week (PAAW), launched yesterday Monday (21
April) aims to show employers that encouraging their staff to undertake just
150 minutes of physical activity per week can lead to a happier, healthier and
more productive workforce.
PAAW will
highlight the range of ways that Scots can be more active, and in particular,
focuses on encouraging workplaces to get moving as part of the wider Fit in
’14 Campaign.
With an inspiring
year of sport ahead with the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Ryder
Cup at Gleneagles, PAAW 2014 offers a unique opportunity to inspire Scots to
become more active, creating a lasting legacy and healthier nation.
The long-term
outcome of the week, as part of the wider Fit in 14 campaign, is to inspire a
more physically active Scottish workforce – working towards reducing sick
days, workplace injuries and work-related illness.
Commonwealth Games
and Sport Minister Shona Robison said:
“The
Scottish Government is committed to increasing rates of physical
activity.
“Through
Physical Activity Awareness Week and our Fit in ’14 campaign, we want to
make Scotland an active nation by encouraging people to get moving as part of
their everyday working lives. We will be looking to further increase
participation through a range of new initiatives, such as the National Walking
Strategy and the Physical Activity Implementation Plan.
“It is well
known that regular activity provides a great range of health benefits and makes
people feel happier, less stressed, and adds years to their quality of
life.
“I am
confident that PAAW will inspire employers to get involved and encourage their
workforces to incorporate daily physical activity into their
day.”
Physical
inactivity results in around 2,500 premature deaths and costs the NHS around
£91 million annually. In response to this alarming statistic, the
Scottish Government is committed to increasing rates of physical activity and
has recently published its first ever national Physical Activity Implementation
Plan, reflecting the importance of encouraging Scots to make physical activity
a part of their everyday lives.
Using PAAW as a
‘kick start’, organisations of all sizes across Scotland are being
encouraged to get involved in Fit in ‘14, with small and simple ways to
improve the health and wellbeing of employees at the heart of the
campaign.
Background
Physical
Activity Awareness Week (PAAW)
Physical Activity
Awareness Week (PAAW) will run from Monday April 21 until Sunday April 27 with
an aim to show people that doing just 150 minutes of physical activity a week
will make them feel healthier – both mentally and physically.
PAAW is running as
part of ‘Fit in 14’ – for more information on this please
visit www.fitin14.org – with the campaign also forming part of
Scotland’s first ever National Physical Activity Implementation
Plan,A More Active Scotland – Building a Legacy from the Commonwealth
Games, which is available to download at www.scotland.gov.uk
Legacy 2014 is a
Scottish Government initiative working to secure a lasting legacy for Scotland
from hosting the XX Commonwealth Games. There are over 50 Legacy 2014 national
programmes delivered by national
partners and more than 50 projects supporting Legacy
2014 in place across Scotland, generating jobs and training
opportunities, investing in new or upgraded community facilities, helping
people to get more active, and inspiring fun learning opportunities and new
global connections.
Visit www.legacy2014.co.uk and Assessing
Legacy for more information and to see what has already been
achieved.
Events taking
place during PAAW include:
The John Muir
Festival 2014, which celebrates the life and legacy of pioneering
conservationist John Muir, and marks the opening of new national pathway, the
John Muir Way, named in his honour.http://www.snh.gov.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/press-release-detail
s/?id=982
The 7th National PAHA Conference (Physical
Activity and Health Alliance) takes place at Murrayfield on Thursday, 24th April and will be attended by a
variety of people from different sectors and professions who are involved in
the promotion of physical activity and health in Scotland. Its theme this year
is ‘Making the Environment Fit in 14’. http://www.paha.org.uk/Event/paha-conference-2014
Fit in
‘14
Building on the
Commonwealth Games' Legacy, Fit in ‘14 is encouraging
Scotland’s workplaces to make physical activity a part of their everyday
lives.
Organisations of
all sizes across Scotland are being encouraged to get involved, with small and
simple ways to improve the health and wellbeing of employees at the heart of
the campaign.
The reasons for
tackling physical inactivity are compelling:
• Physical inactivity results in around 2,500 premature deaths in Scotland
each year
• It costs the NHS around £91 million annually and is the second
biggest cause of mortality in Scotland
• Being active can help prevent and treat more than 20 chronic diseases
• It is estimated that getting Scotland more active would increase life
expectancy by over a year
For more
information visit www.fitin14.org