Islington encourages residents to “step it up” and walk a little more

Residents in Islington are being encouraged to try brisk walking five times a week – for commuting, shopping, or recreation – to help boost their physical and mental health.
 
The NHS recommends everyone to walk briskly, five times a week, to stay in shape – but figures show less than half of Islington residents (43 per cent) currently do this.
 
Linked to Public Health England’s ‘One You’ campaign, Islington Council’s ‘Step it Up Islington’ initiative invites residents to walk more to stay active. 
 
Potential benefits of walking include:
  • better mobility, strength, and balance;
  • improved heart health and blood pressure;
  • increased happiness and wellbeing.
Islington Council’s Director of Public Health, Julie Billett, said: “We want everyone in Islington to have a good quality of life, and we all know exercise plays a big part in staying healthy. 
 
“Brisk walking is surprisingly good exercise; it’s low cost and can be fitted into even really busy lives.  
 
“I’ll be walking more this month as part of our campaign and I invite other local people to ‘step it up’ as well or visit our website for more advice and tips.”
 
A brisk ten minute walk – walking at a pace that causes your breathing and heart rate to increase but you can still have a conversation with someone – not only contributes to a healthier lifestyle, but also reduces the risk of chronic illnesses, such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease.
 
Ready to start walking? Visit the ‘One You’ Islington website to get started and find out about the benefits of taking a short walk: oneyouislington.org/topic/move-more/. 
 
Also see #stepitupislington on Twitter for more advice and tips.

Notes to editors

  • More on the One You campaign can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou.
  • Resident percentage figures were taken from the 2017 Islington Physical Activity and Sport Borough Profile, in partnership with Sport England and the Mayor of London.

Contact information

If you are a member of the public with a general question about the council please view the contact information on our website or call 020 7527 2000.