The Stroke Association Challenges You to Get Physical

DURING its Stroke Awareness Week, September 29th to October 5th, The Stroke Association is encouraging everyone to take up its challenge. The theme for this year's week is Let's get physical so; get off that bus, pick up that skipping rope and start moving! Research has shown that people who don't exercise more than double their risk of suffering a stroke compared to those who do exercise regularly1.

Regular physical activity can help lower blood pressure, the most important risk factors for stroke. It also promotes favourable changes to the balance of fats in the blood, aids weight loss and is a powerful stress buster2 .

To encourage everyone to start exercising, The Stroke Association has produced an Eight-Week Challenge. The charity challenges you to take up exercise each day for eight weeks and eventually complete thirty minutes of exercise per day during the eighth week. The recommended time for exercising each day by the government is thirty minutes.

"The best way to get fit is to incorporate activity into your day-to-day life such as walking to work or school, washing the car instead of taking it to the cash wash centre or getting off the bus a stop earlier than usual. It is never too late to start exercising but we would always recommend a GP consultation before people begin, especially if they haven't taken exercise for a while," says Eoin Redahan, Director of Public Relations at The Stroke Association.

Anyone wanting to know more about The Eight-Week Challenge and Stroke Awareness Week should telephone 01604 623933 or email administration@stroke.org.uk

Ends

Notes to editor

1) Herman B et al. An evaluation of risk factors for stroke in a Dutch Community. Stroke 1982;299:380-7.

2) Health Select Committee second report: Public Health. March 28, 2001.

· Stroke Awareness Week is supported by an educational grant from Merck, Sharp & Dohme Ltd.
· When a stroke occurs part of the brain is suddenly severely damaged or destroyed. It takes place either when a blood clot forms in a damaged vessel and blocks the flow of blood to the brain, or when a damaged vessel in the brain bursts.
· Every year 10,000 people under the age of 55 have a stroke.
· Stroke is the single biggest cause of serious disability with a total of 300,000 people affected at any one time.

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