§ Lord Pendryasked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they have given to providing pedometers free of charge on the National Health Service for the clinically obese as a means of encouraging them to monitor their physical activity and raise awareness of the energy consumption:output equation. [HL23961
§ Lord WarnerPedometers can help to provide the motivation for individuals to increase their walking, particularly when their use is encouraged by health professionals. The Department of Health is currently funding, together with the Countryside Agency and the British Heart Foundation, a pilot to disseminate 10,000 pedometers through primary care trusts in areas of health inequality. The aim of the pilot is to use the pedometers as a motivational tool to increase levels of walking. A final report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot will be available shortly and the outcomes will influence future action.