PEOPLE in West Devon are least likely to describe themselves as a couch potato and more likely to take part in regular aerobic exercise than the rest of the UK — according to a new survey by the British Lung Foundation. One in 12 people in the South West class themselves as a couch potato or as someone who never exercises compared to a UK average of one in seven, and nearly half say they take part in aerobic exercise three times per week compared to a UK average of less than a third. However, the survey also shows that a quarter of people in the South West say they walk for less than 30 minutes a day and more than a third say they exercise only occasionally. More than a third wrongly believe that if their lungs are damaged they can be repaired and most (92%) have no idea of their vital capacity — an important measure of lung health. The survey, carried out by GfK NOP, is released as the British Lung Foundation launches its Big Breaths campaign http://www.bigbreaths.org">www.bigbreaths.org to raise awareness of the importance of lung health. The charity says exercise is important for lung health and by exercising and taking bigger breaths, we can strengthen the muscles around our lungs and deliver more oxygen to our muscles everywhere, giving them energy and strength. The BLF is calling on everyone to make sure they take big breaths by following its new Airway Code top tips for lung health, which includes exercise, staying smoke-free, protecting the lungs from dust and fumes and being asbestos aware.
