IN a bid to get Brits healthier, the government is offering free cinema tickets and clothes vouchers for people who boost their step count.
The new £3million trial scheme will see people collect points for exercising and eating healthily.
Points can then be redeemed against theme parks, cinema tickets, clothes shops and gym classes.
The six-month pilot scheme will start in January and participants will have to wear a wrist-worn device like a smart watch, which will help experts monitor their lifestyle choices.
It will look particularly at step count and users will be urged to eat more fruit and vegetables, while portion control will also be monitored.
It's recommended that you get around 10,000 steps a day and the NHS says you should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
The push and the incentives of freebies is hoped to help Brits lose weight and focus on their health.
The government is working with HeadUp to spearhead the campaign, which it says shows its commitment to helping Brits get healthy.
It is estimated that obesity-related illnesses cost the NHS around £6billion a year and around two-thirds of adults in England are said to be living with obesity or excess weight.
The NHS uses BMI to measure a person's health.
It states that being overweight can lead to a range of issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancer types, and strokes.
The new programme will focus on incentives and rewards for healthy behaviours, including increasing physical activity and eating better to support people to live healthier lives.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he wants to ensure the government is doing as much as it can to tackle health disparities across the country.
He said: "This new pilot will pave the way for developing innovate ways to improve the lives of individuals, and also help to reduce strain on the NHS.
“The Office of Health Improvement and Disparities is driving forward our levelling up agenda for health and ensuring prevention is a vital part of everything we do.
“This pilot is an excellent opportunity to find how best to inspire people to make small changes to their daily lives that will have a lasting positive impact on their health.”
The team behind the scheme is thought to have taken inspiration fromSingapore’s National Steps Challenge – a programme which has showed promising results in helping people become healthier.
EARN INCENTIVES
The government will work closely with international partners to understand what makes these schemes successful to inform best practices in England.
Sir Keith Mills, Health Incentives Advisor, said: “This scheme is a fantastic opportunity to explore how government, business and the third sector can work together to deliver a new and engaging way of supporting the public to make healthier choices.
“Through the pilot we will have exciting and innovative partners on board will help motivate people to want to earn incentives, but also should help them overcome barriers to making healthy decisions in future. I’m looking forward to see how this scheme develops.”
Health is a priority for the government and during the pandemic many people became more focused on their health and wellbeing.
Depending on your income levels you might be eligible for help when it comes to being healthy.
Many people in the UK rely on food banks and fresh fruit and vegetables aren't always available.
You might be able to get free vitamins and vouchers for milk, fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk.
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