4 November 2004

Sport scientists use counselling to increase exercise levels

With incidences of chronic disease on the increase, the University of Dundee's Dr Alison Kirk will explain details of an initiative that can help increase peoples' physical activity levels and substantially improve blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Researchers at the British Association of Sport & Exercise (BASES) workshop will explain that 'physical activity counselling intervention' can combat one of the main factors of chronic disease - physical inactivity.

The counselling involves a one to one session with the counsellor to develop a physical activity programme that will be appealing to people who would normally struggle to commit to or maintain an exercise programme. The informal session tailors the exercise programme to the individual's needs so that people with chronic diseases such as diabetes only do exercise that is suitable for their condition.

Professor Nanette Mutrie and Dr Adrienne Hughes of the University of Glasgow and University of Dundee's Dr Alison Kirk will demonstrate how the project can be used to help the general population and people with heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and mental health problems to lead a more active lifestyle. They will train health care workers to counsel in their own practices such as GP surgeries or health clinics.

Alison will reveal details of a study she conducted at the University of Glasgow where a group of patients with Type 2 diabetes who took part in the project dramatically increased and maintained their physical activity levels. Six months after the initial physical activity consultation, the group had on average, increased their physical activity levels by 28 per cent. The results also showed substantial improvements in blood pressure, blood glucose, physical fitness and cholesterol with blood pressure dropping after six months and after 12 months cholesterol levels lowered.

Dieticians, practice nurses, GP's, health promotion workers, sports scientists and research groups from all over UK will participate in the hands on workshop.

Dr Alison Kirk said, "This is a great opportunity to highlight our work that uses counselling intervention to increase and maintain physical activity levels. The workshop will encourage health practitioners to implement this technique in their own localities across the UK."

The workshop takes place on Friday 5 November at the University of Dundee, Institute of Sport & Exercise, Hawkhill, Dundee.

Notes to editors

Professor Nanette Mutrie is Professor of Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of Strathclyde

Dr Alison Kirk is Lecturer in Sports Biomedicine at the University of Dundee

Dr Adrienne Hughes is Research Fellow in the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow

For further information please contact Alison Kirk on 01382 348853

By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk