Healthy lifestyles
Physical activity
Physical activity is vital for health whatever our age. Adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Exercise just once or twice a week can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Speak to your GP first if you have not exercised for some time, or if you have medical conditions or concerns. Make sure your activity and its intensity are appropriate for your fitness. Find out more about different types of activity including getting started on the NHS website.
How much?
Take a look at the quick to read information physical activity guidelines which explain the physical activity needed for general health benefits for all age groups, disabled adults, pregnant women and women after childbirth.
You can see these by clicking on the individual links below:
- Physical activity for pregnant women
- Physical activity for women after childbirth (birth to 12 months)
- Physical activity for early years: birth to 5 years
- Physical activity for children and young people: 5 to 18 years
- Physical activity for disabled children and disabled young people
- Physical activity for adults and older adults
- Physical activity for disabled adults
Healthy eating
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet provides you with the energy and nutrition you need to function and is an important part of maintaining good health.
Eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight provides protective health benefits against a range of health conditions such as coronary heart disease and stroke as well as type 2 diabetes and certain cancers including mouth, stomach, and colorectal cancer.
For healthy eating information and advice for the general population, visit the NHS website.
Weight management
Healthy weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for good health. Our weight is determined by the balance between what we eat and drink and how active we are.
Being overweight increases risk of developing health problems including coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and some types of cancer. If you’re overweight, making small simple changes can help.
Local weight management support
Shropshire Social Prescribing is a free, confidential service to help you improve your health and wellbeing, including help with losing weight.
For more information and to book an appointment with a Healthy Lives Advisor.
National NHS Weight Loss Plan
The free 12 week NHS Weight Loss Plan helps you to start healthier eating habits, be more active and start losing weight.
The plan is designed to help you to:
- Set weight loss goals & record your progress
- Use the BMI calculator to customise your plan
- Plan your meals & make healthier food choices
- Get more active and burn more calories
Download the free NHS Weight Loss Plan.
Subscribe Shropshire Healthier Weight Strategy 2023 -2028
Shropshire's Healthier Weight Strategy describes how the council and its partners will work together to help address the issue of excess weight. It's informed by feedback received through public and stakeholder engagement and consultation, and includes current evidence, national guidance and local data on the scale and impact of unhealthy weight.
67% of adults in Shropshire live with excess weight, and children and young people are also affected, with nearly one in three 10-11 year olds in Shropshire either overweight or very overweight by the time they leave primary school. Evidence indicates that reducing excess weight among the population would lead to a significant reduction in weight-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
The strategy sets out system-wide priorities to improve health and promote healthier weight among Shropshire's population, with an emphasis on preventing excess weight for people of all ages, focusing on pregnancy and infancy as key opportunities for prevention. It includes key priorities and underpinning principles which inform and frame a series of identified actions. These are structured under three delivery themes, comprising:
- Healthy environment
- Prevention in early years
- Empowering system partners
Across Shropshire’s integrated care system, we are, where possible, aligning priorities and actions to improve health and promote healthier weight.
The strategy was endorsed by Shropshire's Health and Wellbeing Board in November 2023, and approved by Shropshire Council's cabinet in January 2024.
Shropshire Suicide Prevention Strategy 2023 - 2026
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious health condition that occurs when the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body can't use it properly. If left untreated, high blood glucose levels can cause serious health complications such as heart problems, nerve damage, eye problems and foot problems.
Pre-diabetes, sometimes also called borderline diabetes, occurs when your blood glucose level is higher than normal but not high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes.
Many people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, however, making changes to diet, increasing physical activity, and losing weight, can reduce your risk of this happening.
Some women have high levels of blood glucose during pregnancy. This means their body is unable to produce enough insulin to absorb it all. This is known as gestational diabetes.
For information on diabetes and support available, speak to your doctor.
You can also find out more about local services on the Shropshire Community Health website or read more on Diabetes on the NHS website.