A quarter of adults living in the north west don’t feel fit enough to exercise

Bowel Cancer UK

A quarter of people in the North West (25%) do not feel fit enough to exercise for 150 minutes every week, according to a YouGov poll of 4,000 UK adults commissioned by Bowel Cancer UK.

These results are published during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April.

The other three barriers that stop people from meeting the government’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week are:

• Don’t have enough energy to exercise (24%)
• Work commitments (23%)
• Don’t enjoy exercising (19%)

Just over a third of adults in the North West (35%) actually meet the government’s recommendations of moderate exercise.

Every year almost 42,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer, it’s the fourth most common cancer. Research shows that taking part in regular physical activity, which is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or fast walking every week, can decrease your risk of bowel cancer.

Bowel Cancer UK have this week published findings of their new poll to launch the charity’s latest fundraising challenge, Step up for 30, to encourage people to take up regular exercise and be more active to reduce their risk of bowel cancer. It’s really simple, just get sponsored to do 30 minutes of physical activity every day for 30 days in June. Every 30 minutes someone dies of bowel cancer in the UK. 

Luke Squires, Director of Fundraising at Bowel Cancer UK says: “Exercise doesn’t just have to be abut working out in a gym. You could walk, swim, dance, run, cycle, do yoga – the choice is yours.

“It’s really easy to get involved, there’s lots of creative ways you can get sponsored and get active during the month - doing squats while the kettle boils, taking the stairs rather than the lift, going for a walk during your lunch break, getting off the bus a stop early or even hoola-hooping during the TV adverts.

“Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer but with your help we can change that.”

Sign up for Step up for 30 here:

• www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/stepupfor30