A recent report by Medicspot revealed Herefordshire is among the top 75 most physically active places in England. And with more people than ever taking part in events such as the fairly new Ross-on-Wye parkrun and well-established events like the Ross 10K for Acorns Children’s Hospice, the Upton Bishop Big Dipper or joining clubs for rugby, rowing or cricket, this comes as no surprise. Tag rugby, badminton and the new Wilton Petanque Club all provide a wide range of physical activities which are growing in popularity and Ross also has a very popular Bowling Club and many more clubs as well as a swimming pool and several well equipped gyms and fitness classes.

Medicspot placed the county as the 71st most physically active place in England with 67% of adults meeting or exceeding the NHS guidelines for exercise, higher than the average for England.

The NHS recommends that adults should do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week to stay healthy.

Dr Johnson D’souza, Medical Director at Medicspot, said: “It’s important for our health that we all get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as from riding a bike or brisk walking. It’s very encouraging to see Herefordshire residents rising to this challenge.”

Alternatively, NHS guidelines advise that 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity.

“Vigorous intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. This includes running, skipping, riding a bike uphill, and sports like football, rugby and netball”, explains Dr D’souza.

A physically active lifestyle has been shown to help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke compared to those with a sedentary lifestyle.

Regular exercise has also been associated with a reduced risk of diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer, as well as having a positive effect on mental health.

Among children and young people in the county, 47% are classified as physically active, in line with the average for England.

It is recommended that children and young people aged 5 to 18 should be physically active for an average of at least an hour per day across the week.

The report suggests that a significant number of adolescents are not doing enough exercise, with only 47% meeting the minimum criteria across the country.

“It’s important to encourage children and adolescents to get involved in a variety of different types of physical activity to establish positive habits that they can carry through into adulthood”, says Dr D’souza.

Recent estimates suggest that physical inactivity directly costs the NHS around £900 million per year.Read the full Medicspot Active 2020 report: https://www.medicspot.co.uk/reports/active-2020