Public encouraged to stay physically active in support of Olympic Day 2023
The Department of Health (DH) today (June 23) appealed to members of the public to move more for better health in support of Olympic Day 2023.
Olympic Day, held on June 23 every year, is a global event celebrating sport and physical activity. This year, the International Olympic Committee and the World Health Organization jointly launched the "Let's Move" campaign on Olympic Day to inspire and motivate the world to move for better health. The campaign encourages everyone to make time (e.g. 30 minutes per day) in their daily lives to move in any way, anywhere, with the ambition of turning this practice into a daily habit.
Being physically active can bring along many physical and mental health benefits such as improving cardiopulmonary function, strengthening muscles and bones as well as reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can also reduce the risks of having a number of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers.
According to the Population Health Survey (PHS) 2020-22 conducted by the DH, about one in seven (14.9 per cent) of persons aged 15 or above reported spending 10 hours or longer sitting or reclining each day, and about one in four (24.8 per cent) of persons aged 18 or above performed an insufficient level of physical activity. Compared with the previous PHS, a significant increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity was observed, possibly partly related to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures in place during the study period.
Members of the public are encouraged to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Among various types of physical activity, walking is simple and can easily be incorporated into a daily routine. It could be a good starting point to become more physically active. The DH initiated the "10 000 Steps a Day" campaign last year, with an aim of encouraging people to increase their physical activity and reduce sedentary time. Adults are recommended to gradually increase their daily step goal to 10 000 based on their individual physical condition, ability, pace and circumstances. Any amount of walking is better than none, even if the goal cannot be reached yet.
The DH will continue to raise public awareness about the importance of physical activity and promote healthy living, as well as work in close partnership with other government departments and community partners to foster a health-enhancing environment.
​For more information about healthy living, please visit the Change4Health website of the DH. Let's move to keep our mind and body strong and healthy!