4 July 2014
STAFF from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are being challenged to get more active by signing up to a free online motivational tool helping them keep track of fitness, calories burned and commuting costs.
Developed by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, the Active Travel tool, is being launched by the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network to coincide with the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, which runs through Sheffield on Sunday 6 July.
The tool is designed to encourage non-active people to get moving more, and to show how easy it is to fit exercise into your lifestyle if you rethink your commute. It also allows users to set personal challenges, link their profile to a friend to share results, or take on the challenge themselves to walk, run or cycle the 546km distance of the first three stages of the Tour de France – in as many gradual steps as they choose.
Andrew Riley, managing director for the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network, said: “Improving staff and health and wellbeing by encouraging more people to be more active is one of the key objectives of the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network, so we’re delighted to be launching this new tool. Poor health and wellbeing costs industry and businesses an estimated £100 billion every year, and has a huge impact on individual’s own emotional, mental and physical health. Yet simple changes can make a massive difference, and this is a really easy-to-use, fun tool which shows how easy it is to fit exercise into your lifestyle and rethink your commute.”
To use the tool, simply register on the Active Travel website and log in every time you walk, run or cycle somewhere. The tool tells you how many calories you have burned, how much money you have saved compared to driving and the reduction in your carbon footprint.
ENDS
Photo: Dr Simon Till, NHS Consultant and Reader in Sport & Exercise Medicine of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Hallam University tries out the new app
MEDIA CONTACT:
Claudia Blake, Communications Specialist Tel: 0114 226 5033 Email: claudia.blake@sth.nhs.uk