Business people take part in heart health challenge

Earlier this year Wessex Heartbeat trialled a new '12 Week Healthy Heart Challenge', which saw participants take small, achievable steps to improve their health each week.

Forty people from the south's business community took part and, with the results now collected, it's been revealed they achieved significant health benefits.

Collectively, the group lost 12 stone and average cholesterol dropped from 4.4 to 4.1. The group's glucose readings also went down and almost everyone maintained or dropped points on the BMI (Body Mass Index) scale.

Wessex Heartbeat said it's promising evidence that making small lifestyle changes can made a big difference to overall cardiac health.

Chief executive John Munro said: '˜We're thrilled to see such successes among the group. As a charity we're working hard to do more at the '˜coalface' of cardiac health. The more we can educate people early on about living a healthy lifestyle, the more we can stop people contracting avoidable heart conditions.'

The trial of the Wessex Heartbeat '12 Week Healthy Heart Challenge' started with a health check from Wessex Heartbeat's cardiac nurses, checking everything from participants' weight and cholesterol to blood pressure and BMI.

They were sent a challenge to complete each week, such as drinking 2-3 litres of water a day or walking a certain number of steps. A Facebook group gave workout videos in association with Brightside Personal Training and a place to share tips. 

At the end of the programme, participants went through the same health check and were able to see their results.

Two winners were chosen as having made exceptional progress and were rewarded with 12 weeks of personal training with Brightside Personal Training, along with 12 cases of Hildon water.

Men's winner Lee Peck, chairman of Lee Peck Media, said: '˜I've made some positive changes for the better.' 

Women's winner, Lisa Badger from Eric Robinson Solicitors, added: '˜I was very pleased with my results.' 

A public version of the 12 Week Challenge will take place later this year. To take part email [email protected]