Media

Be ACTIVE and LIVE:Physical Activity reduces mortality risk by 27% HKU medical students launch mass health advocacy campaign

24 Nov 2011

A group of 30 medical students from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong will launch a health advocacy campaign to promote physical activity on 26/11(Sat) and 27/11(Sun) at Causeway Bay and Mong Kok respectively through an innovative notion -‘FLASH MOB". During the event, medical students will initiate a "MASS DANCE" ‘spontaneously' on the street, and invite the pedestrian to join. We are trying to convey the message that exercise is within your control through actively involving the pedestrians into the dance and along with our health promotional banner. 70 citizens have signed up to the mass dance with the students.

We hereby sincerely invite you to cover the event. Details of the events are as follow:

1. Date: 26/11/2011 (Saturday)
Time: 2:00pm & 2:45pm
Location: Great George Road, Causeway Bay (Outside SOGO)

2. Date: 27/11/2011 (Sunday)
Time: 2:00pm & 2:45pm
Location: Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok (In between Dundas Street
and Soy Street, outside CTMA Centre)

The American Medical Association indicates that engaging in physical activity for at least 3 hours per week is associated with a decrease in mortality risk of 27%. A research conducted by American Heart Association also found that for heart attack patients who participated in a formal exercise program, the death rate is reduced by 20% -25%. On the other hand, a survey done by Department of Health in Hong Kong states that only 35.7% of the interviewees is able to meet the World Health Organization recommendations of physical activities. This alarming figure suggests that Hong Kong citizens have yet to put more attention to the importance of physical activity.

Apart from health promotion of physical activity at a local community level, we also focus on online campaigns through our advocacy website, in hoping to reach out to a specific target group of Internet users whom most are at risk of developing sedentary behavior, in particularly children and young adults.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/interactivecampaign2011
Twitter: http://twitter.com/interACTIVEcamp
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/interactivecampaign

For media enquiry, please contact Arthur Lo (9531 4237) or Rose Au (6767 1711) - Year 3 medical students from the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.