ACTIVE 30

“By walking just 10 continuous minutes at a brisk pace every day, an individual can reduce their risk of early death by 15%,” says Professor Muir Gray, adviser to PHE. “They can also prevent or delay the onset of disability and further reduce their risk of serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, dementia and some cancers.” Emma Stevenson, professor of sport and exercise at Newcastle University’s Institute for Ageing, says it is all about functionality – living well, not just longer. “Age is not a reason not to be doing things,” she says. “That way, we age more quickly. We may be living longer but without good nutrition and exercise we lose functionality – like simply being able to get out of a chair – and that is not good quality of life.”