Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Latest NewsWellbeingOccupational Health

Active lifestyles must be made ‘intrinsic to 21st century health’

by Nic Paton 25 Aug 2009
by Nic Paton 25 Aug 2009

The NHS must make the promotion of more active lifestyles a “core business and not a peripheral concern”, health secretary Andy Burnham has said.

His comments came as the government set out its vision in August for a healthier England, arguing that active lifestyles needed to become “an intrinsic part of 21st century health”.

There also needed to be major changes in how physical activity was provided locally, said Burnham.

He has argued that if just 1% of the 2.5 million people on incapacity benefits in the UK could be encouraged to adopt healthier lifestyles, this could save the economy £13bn a year and industry £11bn.

The NHS also spent £3,000 a second on treating illnesses that could be prevented by physical activity, with a 1% cut in hip fractures potentially saving the NHS £200m a year, and a 20% increase in cycling £50m.

The government will now run four key public health campaigns to complement its existing Change4Life programme (pictured above). These are a cycling campaign called Bike4Life; a dance campaign called the Dance Champions Group; a Swim4Life free swimming campaign; and a Walk4Life campaign to get 200,000 more people active by the 2012 Olympics.

“Promoting active lifestyles is the simple answer to many of the big challenges facing our country today,” said Burnham. “It can save us money and ease the burden on public services. The NHS has the green light to be bold and creative to help people to be fitter and more healthy.”

In a separate development, companies could reduce their healthcare costs simply by implementing walking programmes for their staff, a US health consultancy has said.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Health Enhancement Systems has argued that encouraging walking among staff is not only good for general health, but can also lead to less spending on health plans.

The UK campaigning body WalkingWorks.uk has recommended that companies carry out a travel survey, as well as offer maps and tips for employees internally.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Safety confusion for small firms
next post
CIPD absence survey 2009

You may also like

Number of police working second jobs doubles

15 Jul 2025

Mansion House speech: will employers’ pension contributions rise?

15 Jul 2025

University staff to strike over hybrid working curbs

15 Jul 2025

Employees voting with feet as return-to-office pressure increases...

15 Jul 2025

Businesses warned against reducing recruitment in favour of...

15 Jul 2025

Postmasters could take ownership of Post Office

14 Jul 2025

Ethnicity and disability pay gaps: Ready to report?...

14 Jul 2025

Manager dismissed after covert recording with HR wins...

14 Jul 2025

Food sector warned it is facing a workforce...

14 Jul 2025

Gregg Wallace investigation: 45 allegations upheld

14 Jul 2025

  • Empower and engage for the future: A revolution in talent development (webinar) WEBINAR | As organisations strive...Read more
  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today