by Playfuls Staff |
3rd December 2006
Dancing the tango or be-bopping in the street may be what the doctor orders for sluggish Britons to get off their couches and [more] shed some pounds.
The National Health Service, to counter declining fitness levels and a national obesity crisis, is funding a number of activities to encourage exercise, including tango lessons and street-dancing. Doctors across Britain will distribute questionnaires to determine their patients' exercise regimen. Those with sedentary lifestyles could be prescribed a physical activity funded by NHS trusts, the Independent said.
The move follows 10 pilot programs that officials said succeeded in getting people moving. A health department program said the pilots demonstrated that "physical activity interventions are cost-effective and can save the NHS money in the long-term by reducing ill health."
More than 14 million people in the United Kingdom will be dangerously overweight by 2010, officials said. The cost could be upwards of $15.8 billion a year, including medical bills for diabetes, heart disease, depression and lost work. The British government recommended children participate in at least an hour of moderate activity a day, while adults lightly exercise for 30 minutes five days a week.
© 2006 UPI
