Exercise can play a significant role in maintaining mental health, yet more than half of Hongkongers do not achieve recommended levels of physical activity
#moveitformentalhealth #moveithk
(Hong Kong, 23 January 2020) For the third consecutive year, Mind Hong Kong (Mind HK) is running its Move it for Mental Health (Move it) campaign throughout the month of February to raise awareness of the benefits that exercise has on our physical and mental health. The campaign aims to encourage Hongkongers to get moving for their mental health by exercising for 30 minutes every day in February, with a dedicated website offering tips on how to get active along with a selection of local gyms and studios providing workshops and classes that are Move it themed.
Dr. Hannah Reidy, CEO of Mind HK, said: “Mental and physical health are closely linked, but more than half of us in Hong Kong do not achieve the recommended amount of daily exercise. Our Move it for Mental Health campaign aims to raise awareness for how just 30 minutes a day of exercise can make a big difference to a person’s overall mental health, not just physical. Physical health plays a significant role in managing some mental health conditions, in particular depression and anxiety. While depression and anxiety can make one less willing to participate in sports activities or join a gym, exercise has been proven to decrease many of the symptoms of these disorders.”
Yvette Kong, Board Member of Mind HK and Olympic Swimmer for Hong Kong, said: “Your mind and body go hand in hand. This is important for everyone to remember – exercise can help your overall mental wellbeing, sleep, and mood. Taking 30 minutes out of your day for your mental health should be made a priority and I encourage you to take in this challenge.”
According to the Centre for Health Protection, approximately 55% of adults in Hong Kong do not reach the WHO recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity) per week. According to a study by the Hong Kong Playground Assocation, 21.3% of youth (age 13 to 18) and 38.8% of youth (aged 19 to 24) do not meet the MVPA60 standard (moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity for ac least 60 minutes daily), a recommendation of WHO.
How to get involved in the Move it for Mental Health campaign
Mind HK’s Move it for Mental Health campaign asks Hongkongers to exercise for both their physical and mental wellbeing and to be aware of the difference it makes. Participants can simply walk, do yoga, hike, dance or do any other form of exercise for just 30 mintues every day in February. Sign up here and you will receive information on Move it themed events and resources.
To get involved people are encouraged to visit www.moveithk.com to find out more, follow and like Mind
HK’s social media pages, and create community-wide action by sharing their Move it for Mental Health
experiences and encouraging others to join the movement with the hashtags #moveitformentalhealth
#moveithk.
To find out more about the Move it partners and to get involved in their workshops and classes, follow
this link: www.moveithk.com/supportingorganisations
-ENDJoin the conversation on:
Move it Website: www.moveithk.com
Mind HK Website: www.mind.org.hk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HongKongMind
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mindhongkong
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mindhongkong
About Mind Hong Kong:
Mind HK, established as established as Mind Mental Health Hong Kong Limited,” is a registered S88 charity (91/16471) committed to improving awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong. They collaborate with other local and international mental health charities and provide online support and training programmes, based on global best practice, to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem and equip them with the resources they need. Through collaborative research, Mind HK is leading the way in understanding mental health problems in the city and providing its population with the right support and resources.
Anyone in Hong Kong who needs help with their mental health can be assured that they are entitled to the full support of Mind HK irrespective of their gender, race, background or beliefs. To be effective and credible, Mind HK operate as a neutral and impartial humanitarian charity without any political affiliations or other conflicts of interest. The work we do, especially our research, is dedicated to improving the health of vulnerable groups and maintaining the best mental health possible for all of Hong Kong. We hope that anyone reporting or commenting on our work will respect and support our independence and neutrality.
Media Contacts:
For information or interviews, please contact Sinclair
Nikki McLucas | [email protected] | (852) 6895 0534
Crystal Leung | [email protected] | (852) 9633 2429
For emergency support please contact the below services:
Samaritans 24-hour hotline (Multi-lingual): (852) 2896 0000
Samaritan Befrienders 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222
Suicide Prevention Services 24-hour hotline (Catonese only): (852) 2382 0000
More crisis support services can be found here: mind.org.hk/find-help-now
More non-urgent support services can be found here: https://www.mind.org.hk/community-directory/
