Sport Ireland has formally launched 'Your Personal Best' month, which will run throughout November, aimed at getting men over 45 more physically active.
Repeated studies, including Sport Ireland’s most recent Irish Sports Monitor, have consistently shown that males aged over 45, particularly those from disadvantaged communities, are amongst those least likely to be active. As a result, they suffer from worse health, mental and physical, and are more likely to die younger, than the rest of the population.
'Your Personal Best' month is an exciting project encouraging men to stop making excuses and to engage in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week. The campaign is being supported by various sporting National Governing Bodies such as Cycling Ireland, Athletics Ireland, Get Ireland Walking and Swim Ireland, who will provide information, advice and programmes for men who want to become more active with resources available at www.sportireland.ie/ The campaign is also being supported by the nationwide network of Local Sport Partnerships, who will provide practical support on the ground.
Sport Ireland’s Irish Sports Monitor 2019 revealed that only one in four men aged 45-54 meet the World Health Organisation’s recommended 150 minute of exercise per week. On average, men of this age are physically active for just 87 minute per week or 12 minute per day, with one in six not participating in any sport or exercise.
Socio-economic standing influences activity levels; those with the highest education and income are twice as likely to play sports than those the poorest backgrounds who, in turn, are the most likely to lead sedentary lives with 16 percent claiming to take no form of exercise.
Sport Ireland is the authority tasked with the development of sport in Ireland and this includes participation in sport and physical activity. Your Personal Best Month is aimed squarely at a group in society that has consistently been amongst those least likely to enjoy the benefits of participating in sport and physical activity, with funding for the project coming from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
“This is a fantastic campaign and a real opportunity for men over 45 to increase their physical activity levels, and Westmeath Sports Partnership is delighted to support it. It is so important to be physically active and even though we’re now in Level 5 there are still plenty of ways to be physically active for 30 minutes. The benefits extend to mental wellbeing as well and we’d really encourage people to get involved at what ever level they can, and of course complying with the Covid regulations," Westmeath Sports Partnership Coordinator Tony Wheat, said, upon the formal launch.
