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Brits are ‘all talk-no action’ when it comes to their health

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 02 March 2010

When it comes to our health and wellbeing, Britain is a nation of ‘all talk and no action’ according to a survey for new online service NHS MidLifeCheck (www.nhs.uk/midlifecheck).

Despite almost half of adults (46 per cent) believing they need to think more about leading a healthy lifestyle, the same amount (47 per cent) admit to spending a lot more time talking about getting healthy than actually doing anything about it. And a third of adults (33 per cent) say they wouldn’t even know where to start.

Women own up to being the worst offenders with one in two (48 per cent) of 45-64-year-olds saying they are more inclined to give advice about being healthy than take it (31 per cent for men of the same age).

The survey also revealed that although people around the 40 year old mark are much less knowledgeable about their own health and fitness than their parents – 69 per cent having no idea about their blood pressure, compared to 27 per cent of people over 65 – they spend more time worrying about it. Top of the list of concerns for mid-lifers* as they get older is keeping fit and active (81 per cent), with staying slim at 73 per cent and 70 per cent worrying about their emotional wellbeing.

NHS MidLifeCheck (www.nhs.uk/midlifecheck) has been launched to help people over 40 turn their good intentions into reality. The free, confidential website is easy to use and supports people in planning for changes they choose to make. Following a simple multiple-choice lifestyle questionnaire, the site gives personal results and advice. Users can create an individual plan, set goals, track their weight and sign up for free emails, texts or letters to help them along the way.

Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron, said:

“It’s really important to take steps to manage our health and set goals to ensure we live life to the full.

“The Government has a responsibility to help people make healthier choices that are simple and easy to do. NHS MidLifeCheck is a free and confidential service for the over 40s covering important topics from healthy eating and physical activity, to emotional well being. It’s all about helping people make small changes to their lifestyle which could help to make a big difference to the quality and length of their lives.”

Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, said:

“Most people in their 40's generally enjoy good health, however for some people certain chronic health issues can start at this age - with cancer, heart disease and diabetes being some of the biggest causes of death. We all need to be aware of how to help prevent potential health problems.

“NHS MidLifeCheck, the third stage of NHS LifeCheck, is new for prevention in the NHS. It has been designed, in consultation with health professionals, to cover a wide range of topics such as smoking, diet and exercise, and emotional wellbeing – to provide those in their mid-life with the information and opportunity, to better understand how their current choices could affect their long-term health and well-being.”

talkSport presenter, Mike Parry, has been using NHS MidLifeCheck for
the last few weeks and sharing his progress with listeners. He said:

"Having had serious heart problems in my late 40's, I now know just how much a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent disease. You don't have to join a gym or start eating seeds - it's just about making a few small changes. I have cut down on the amount I drink and walk a lot.

“NHS MidLifeCheck is something anyone can use. It gives you straight-forward information and helps you to focus on what you really want to achieve. My goals are to push myself harder when I'm walking and really think about the food I'm putting into my body."

Other key highlights from mid-lifers* surveyed include:

· Over two-thirds (68 per cent) of women are often more concerned about their family’s wellbeing than their own as they get older, more so than men of the same age (52 per cent).

· People ofmid-life age were less worried about how much alcohol they drink, with nearly two thirds (61 per cent) of 45-64 year olds not worried about it at all.

· A third (34 per cent) only think about their health when they become ill or are feeling down.

Over three in four women (76 per cent) worry about their emotional wellbeing as they get older, more than men of the same age (63 per cent).

Notes to Editors

The research was conducted amongst 2,047 adults 18+ and was completed by ICM Research on 5-7 February, 2010. *The mid-lifers target age range were those people aged 45-64 years of age

About NHS LifeCheck

· NHS LifeCheck was developed following the publication of the 2006 white paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say. With its emphasis on empowerment, choice and access, NHS LifeCheck has a crucial role to play in helping the NHS and the Government to achieve their overall objectives for health and social care reform, which are:

o developing services that are truly responsive to people’s needs;
o preventing ill-health by promoting healthier lifestyles; and
o reducing health inequalities.

· The tone and content of NHS LifeCheck has been designed to appeal most to those people from socially disadvantaged communities. To date, the Government has dedicated £5.8 million to embed the service in 83 Communities For Health areas, concentrating on reaching the most socially disadvantaged groups in England.

· There are three NHS LifeCheck services:
o NHS Baby LifeCheck – for parents and carers of babies aged five to eight months;
o NHS Teen LifeCheck – for young people aged 12-15; and
o NHS MidLifeCheck – for adults aged 40 and over;

· NHS Teen LifeCheck has been available since June 2009 and has successfully attracted almost 250,000 visits from teenagers. NHS Baby LifeCheck is aimed at parents and carers of 5-8 month old babies and has had 155,000 visits in the last 6 months.

For more information about NHS MidLifeCheck please contact:

Department of Health Newsdesk on 020 7210 5221

The Red Consultancy on 0207 025 6674 / nhslifecheck@redconsultancy.com

Contacts:

Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk