Museum of Science and Industry

A fifth (20%) of people in the North West class themselves as a couch potato or as someone who never exercises and more than two fifths (43%) say they exercise only occasionally, according to a new survey released today by the British Lung Foundation to raise awareness of lung health.

Nearly a third (30%) say they walk for less than 30 minutes a day and most (95%) have no idea of their vital capacity* - an important measure of lung health. Despite this, more than half (55%) believe their lungs are healthy for their age.

Hundreds of people will be offered the chance to test their vital capacity at British Lung Foundation lung testings events in Manchester. The first is on Wednesday 18^th June at Salford Shopping Centre between 9am and 5pm; the second is on Thursday 19^th June at Dr Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS 4 exhibition at the Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, between 10 and 5pm. The BLF will be offering free information and advice about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which currently kills more people in Yorkshire and Humberside than colon, prostate or breast cancer.

The survey, carried out by GfK NOP, is released as the British Lung Foundation launches its Big Breaths campaign (www.bigbreaths.org) to raise awareness of the importance of lung health. The charity says exercise is important for lung health. By exercising and taking bigger breaths, we 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 can take big breaths by following its new Airway Code - ten top tips for lung health which as well as taking regular exercise include staying smoke-free, protecting the lungs from dust and fumes, and being asbestos aware.

"Our lungs are exposed to dirt and dust all the time but we can't give them a good wash like we can our hands and face," says Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation. "If we follow the Airway Code and give our lungs a big dose of oxygen every day through exercise, we'll be giving them the TLC they need and giving ourselves more energy all round."

Other survey findings showed that:

• Only a quarter (25%) of people in the North West take part in regular aerobic exercise (at least 20 minutes 3 or more times per week).

• Nearly a third (31%) wrongly believe that if they damage their lungs they can be repaired

*Vital capacity measures the maximum volume of air that we can exhale after taking in a big breath. It is measured with a spirometry test and can help make a diagnosis of underlying lung disease.

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