The NHS is preparing to launch a new nationwide initiative that will reward people for walking regularly, with participants able to earn discounts and other incentives for completing daily exercise goals.
Due to begin early next year, the programme will encourage people to walk for around 30 minutes each day. Completing the challenge over the course of a month would add up to approximately 26 miles – the equivalent of a marathon.
Participants will be able to record their walks digitally using a smartphone, smartwatch or an online platform. Those who successfully complete the challenge will qualify for rewards, although the full range of incentives has not yet been confirmed. Discounts and vouchers are expected to form part of the scheme.
The project has been developed with former Olympic athlete Sir Brendan Foster, the founder of the Great North Run, who says the campaign is designed to inspire more people to make walking a regular habit rather than focus on running or intense exercise.
The initiative forms part of the government’s wider 10-year plan to improve public health by tackling preventable illness through healthier lifestyles.
According to NHS England, physical inactivity contributes to around one in six deaths. Adults are classed as inactive if they complete less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity across an entire week. Recent figures from Sport England suggest nearly 12 million adults in England fall into that category.
Organisers hope to recruit more than 100,000 participants. If that target is achieved, they believe it would represent the largest marathon-style participation event ever staged, with everyone collectively completing marathon distances over the course of a month.
The campaign also aims to tap into the popularity of “streak” challenges seen on apps such as Snapchat and Duolingo, encouraging people to build a daily routine by maintaining consecutive days of activity.
Supporters of the scheme argue that even modest increases in physical activity could deliver significant health benefits. Walking for 30 minutes on at least five days each week has been linked to a longer healthy life expectancy while also reducing pressure on NHS services by helping to prevent chronic illnesses.
More details, including how people can register, are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Although rewards will be offered, NHS England says it will not fund them directly. Instead, the programme will be delivered in partnership with organisations from the public and private sectors, with businesses expected to provide incentives such as vouchers and discounts. GPs and other healthcare professionals will also be encouraged to promote the challenge to patients.
Health campaigners have welcomed efforts to encourage people to become more active but argue that improving the nation’s health will also require wider government action on prevention, including policies aimed at creating healthier environments alongside initiatives that encourage individual behaviour change.