The 2012 Games offer a unique opportunity to develop a lasting legacy of healthy living and to improve public health through increased participation in physical activity in the Northwest.
Many organisations in the Northwest, from local authorities and voluntary organisations to operators of leisure facilities and transport providers, can play their part in encouraging people in the region to live healthier, more active lives.
Getting Active
There is already strong evidence that physical inactivity contributes to obesity, high blood pressure and smoking as a risk factor for illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Even though a great deal of progress has already been made in the Northwest to address these challenges, reducing health inequalities and improving life-expectancy there is still a lot to do.
London 2012 is a powerful incentive to take this agenda a step further by linking in with existing national initiatives such as Change4Life and NHS Choices. It provides an opportunity for all organisations and individuals to improve the health of themselves, their workforce and their communities, and to inspire the next generation in the Northwest to choose an active and healthy lifestyle.
Sport and Exercise Medicine
The document Sport and Exercise Medicine - A Fresh Approach (.pdf file, 2.68MB) introduces the speciality of Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM), presenting the expected benefits that SEM can bring to the NHS.
North West 2012 resources