Incentive schemes should be used to get women to don their ladies fitness wear and exercise more, an advisory group has suggested.

Some 62.5 per cent of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE's) independent Citizens Council voted in favour of schemes that incentivise people to lead healthier lifestyles.

They listed a number of conditions surrounding the implementation of the schemes, including that they should only be offered to people who are committed to changing their health behaviours.

The council also said that cash incentives should be only offered as a last resort and that the progress of participants should be monitored throughout the programme.

Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman of NICE, said: "We clearly face several public health challenges in today's society, some more obvious than others, and we must seek to improve these in ways that are likely to achieve the best health outcomes for those affected."

He went on to say that NICE is now very keen to hear what the general public thinks about the Citizens Council's conclusions.

Earlier this month, a special edition of the European Journal of Cancer stated that there are four main risk factors for cancer: smoking, obesity, alcohol and physical inactivity.

Posted by Sue Wallis ADNFCR-2569-ID-800086332-ADNFCR

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