One healthy New Year resolution leads to another

30th December 2011 - The time has come when we traditionally decide whether to make New Year resolutions, with health and well being often uppermost in people's minds.

A series of new reports suggests that those of us who take the plunge and opt to do something healthy can find it leads to additional health benefits in other parts of our lives.

However, this year it seems that one popular New Year choice - to join a gym - may be proving too costly an extravagance for cash-strapped Brits.

Health habits

Experts at the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) looked at the results from six studies to come up with national health trends and habits. They show that when people made healthier decisions in one area of their life, the knock-on effect saw improvements in other areas too.

For instance, the reports found that people who quit smoking were more likely to eat fruit and vegetables than those who carried on smoking, and non-smokers were less likely to eat fat that was visible on their plate than smokers.

Conversely, the reports show that unhealthy habits can lead to other unhealthy lifestyle decisions. For example, people who regularly eat fried food are more likely to sprinkle additional salt over it, and those who drink above recommended levels are less likely to tuck into fruit and veg.

Double benefits

The reports were carried out for the Department of Health. It says the research highlights the importance of eating well, drinking within recommended guidelines and stopping smoking.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies says in a statement: "The New Year is a great time to renew efforts and give up unhealthy habits, such as smoking, and take up healthier ones, such as regular physical activity, improving our diet and drinking less.

"This NatCen research shows that if you make one healthy resolution this New Year you might get double the benefits as you are more likely to make other positive healthier changes too. So, start thinking about other areas where you can improve your health and set yourself up for a healthier life, for 2012."

Joining a gym?

For many Brits worried about their health, January is traditionally a time to stump up gym membership fees and start hitting the treadmill to work off those extra festive pounds. However, a survey carried out for a comparison website suggests that this year the economic climate is making us think twice about the expense.

An online poll of 2,013 adults in the UK carried out for MoneySupermarket.com found that over two thirds of consumers (68%) would not be joining or renewing their membership as they believe the gym is an unnecessary cost, and they planned to keep fit and healthy in other ways. This is compared to 46% of respondents in 2009.