More New Zealanders intend to exercise - but don't

New Zealanders have got the message that exercise is good, but few have changed their lazy ways in the past four years.

The Push Play campaign, started by the Hillary Commission (now Sport and Recreation New Zealand) in 1999, promoted 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity for adults.

An evaluation published in the New Zealand Medical Journal shows the $3 million campaign resulted in substantial increases in awareness of the Push Play message.

It found an increase in the numbers of adults who intended to be more active from 1.8 per cent in 1999 to 9.4 per cent last year.

But despite their good intentions, the group surveyed did not make changes in physical activity.

Of the 1999 group, 38.6 per cent reported five or more days of activity a week, increasing to 44.5 per cent in 2000, but declining to 38 per cent in 2002.

- NZPA