NHS trusts urged to back Men's Health Week

The NHS is calling on all trusts to back Men's Health Week.

Mike Farrar, the national director for sport and health, wants more NHS trusts to get involved: 'The Week provides an excellent platform for targeting men locally, especially middle-aged men whose physical activity levels start to fall sharply.'

Farrar is backing the Men's Health Forum's drive to encourage government, the NHS, local government, sports organisations, charities and others to work together to help one million more men aged 35-64 in England achieve the Chief Medical Officer’s minimum recommended levels of physical activity by 2012.

Too many men are inactive with serious effects on their health, the NHS and wider economy. And, there is a need for the public health workforce to access information and training to enable the engagement of larger numbers of men in physical activity.

As well as the Department of Health, Men's Health Week is supported by Sport England, NHS Choices, Royal Mail, Sustrans and 30 other organisations.