Press Release

The path to healthy living

5th December 2007

As the campaign gathers pace for the city to win its share of the Sustrans Connect 2 bid for the £50million Big Lottery giveaway, Dr Bill McConnell, Director of Public Health with the Western Health and Social Services Board, says the city's connect2 project will help people change their lifestyle and improve their health.

Dr McConnell explains that from a health perspective, the benefits of physical activity are considerable, both for a person's body and mind. He says " Obesity, being overweight and lack of activity will affect the amount of Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer and many other conditions. This will harm us as individuals and as a community. Initiatives such as Connect2 will create new opportunities for us to increase healthy activity and improve our lives and feeling of well-being."

"This is a project that could help people relatively easily to change their lifestyle and therefore do a lot to improve the health of the people in this locality."

£ 1.2 million of the Lottery money has been earmarked for a project that will provide the city with an extended cyclepath and walkway along the East Bank of the River Foyle with connectivity to a proposed new cycle and footbridge across the River Foyle. Derry City Council has been working in partnership with Ilex and Sustrans to deliver this project.

The health profession are advocates of a healthier lifestyle and believe the inclusion of simple, daily exercise such as walking or cycling can improve an individual’s health dramatically. Recent media reports highlight obesity as a health time bomb. In western area at present, 27% of Primary One girls and 22% of Primary One boys are either overweight or obese. A lack of physical activity is one of the most important risk factors for Coronary Heart Disease - it is estimated that 36% of all Coronary Heart Disease can be attributed to lack of physical activity such as cycling. Physical activity can also reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 50%.

Seamus Mullen from the Western Investing for Health Partnership supporting the positive change that Connect2 can bring to our lifestyle said "There is no doubt that the availability and accessibility of open space for physical activity has a significant impact on physical and emotional health and well-being and can encourage greater levels of social interaction and healthier lifestyles. That is why we would encourage the whole community to vote for Connect 2. It will impact on the obesity health time bomb".

You can vote for Connect2 in two ways. Online voting commences from Monday 26 at 9am and closes at 12 noon, simply log on to www.thepeoples50million.org.uk Vote by telephone from 9.00am on Friday 7th December to 12 noon on Monday 10th December. The telephone voting number will be released on Friday 07th December. Please not that due to competition rules only one vote per telephone number (business or personal) will be counted. If you would like to automatically receive the voting number directly to your mobile please text Connect2 to 80010 now.

For additional information contact:

Press Office

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