MOVE it this Movember: men's health campaign extended to include exercise
Participants in this year's Movember campaign are being asked not only to sprout some hair over their upper lips, but to make a conscious effort to exercise
It's not enough just to grow a moustache for Movember this year. The annual November men's health campaign has taken on a new look for its 13th edition: participants - known as Mo Bros and Sistas - are also being asked to make a conscious effort to exercise.
Physical inactivity is the fourth and newest focus area of Movember's strategy, says Mark Fewell, Movember's head of market development. "We're committed to raising awareness on the dangers of physical inactivity and investing in initiatives that encourage physical activity."
While the moustache is still king, the Movember Foundation has introduced MOVE, a 30-day fitness challenge to help fight the rising levels of physical inactivity in men worldwide. Mo Bros and Sistas are being challenged to do 30 MOVEs in 30 days - it could be a gym workout, a lunchtime jog or an epic bike ride. Each MOVE has to be at least 20 minutes long.
After registering at the Movember Hong Kong website and creating a fundraising page, participants are encouraged to post their updates on their page and share the physical activities they've done on social media. For a ripple effect, participants are also urged to get their friends, family and colleagues involved to MOVE as a team, or challenge each other to match the MOVEs.
Throughout November, Movember's local supporters will offer special discounts to fitness classes to encourage participants to workout (see sidebar).
According to research cited by the Movember Foundation, about 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. It is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, and 41 per cent of men in high-income countries don't exercise enough. A sedentary lifestyle increases one's risk of cancer and many other diseases.