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Dr Ciara Kelly launching the Irish Heart Foundation’s ‘Escape Your Chair’ campaign.
THE Irish Heart Foundation has called on the people of Kerry to escape their chair this September to improve your heart health.
The Foundation’s month-long heart health campaign entitled, ‘Escape Your Chair’ was launched this week and aims to raise awareness of prolonged sitting as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The campaign aims to empower and encourage the public to move more and sit less throughout September for heart month, by providing tools and guides to get active.
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An Ipsos MRBI Omnipoll revealed that people in Ireland spend on average 7.3 hours a day sitting down.
Higher levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with a 147 per cent increase in the risk of heart disease and stroke. There is increasing evidence that the positive health benefits of exercise may not entirely counteract the negative effects of a mostly sedentary lifestyle.
As part of its #EscapeYourChair heart month campaign, the Irish Heart Foundation has created a range of resources to help people sit less and move more.
These include, an online sitting time calculator, a Deskercise video, a Move More Walking Challenge, a Couch to 5k guide, as well as expert tips and advice on how to increase physical activity levels. These are available at www.EscapeYourChair.ie.
On Saturday, September 28, to help people ‘Escape Your Chair’, and support the work of the Irish Heart Foundation, the charity is calling on locals to walk, jog, or run in the Irish Heart Foundation Heart Hero 5K at parkrun events across Kerry in association with parkrun Ireland.
The Irish Heart Foundation Heart Hero 5k can be completed in Kerry at:
• Listowel parkrun, Listowel Town Park, Bridge Road, Listowel, Co. Kerry
• Tralee parkrun, Tralee Town Park, Denny Street, Tralee, Co. Kerry
• Inch Beach parkrun, Inch Beach, Inch, Co. Kerry
• Killarney House parkrun, Killarney House, Mission Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry
Tara Curran, SlÍ na Sláinte Coordinator with the Irish Heart Foundation said: “80% of premature heart disease and stroke is preventable and as physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, we are encouraging the people of Kerry and nearby to make some small changes to incorporate more physical activity into their day.”
