Rathbone is hoping that the efforts of this year’s Olympians help young people get their health back on track.

A shock recent report showed that UK youth were living off a dangerous daily diet of energy drinks and cigarettes. And when it came to exercise, expensive gym membership, poor sporting facilities and a lack of encouragement to take part were seen as huge hurdles.

Hope though lay in the fact that well over 50% watched sport regularly with Wayne Rooney and Amir Khan amongst those cited by respondents as “heroes”. Now Rathbone hopes that everyone from rowers to runners can give youngsters a gentle kick to get involved in exercise.

Rathbone surveyed young people about their health

With cookery classes for pre-16’s in Wigan to Kung Fu Dojos in Chorley, efforts are already underway to improve Rathbone trainees’ health. The latest centre to pitch-in is Middlesbrough who are organising a football tournament for local youngsters on Saturday 28th July as part of their StreetLife programme (see close of story for more details).

Respondents to the Rathbone survey are paying the penalty for their poor health – even at aged 14! Forty-three-per-cent said they were experiencing difficulties such as shortage of breath, anxiety attacks and conditions such as Type Two Diabetes and Obesity. A third felt tired all the time.

One of those surveyed – a 21-year-old man from Warrington – said: “I used to skip meals and live off energy drinks. I wasn’t worried about my health; I was more bothered about my image and looking thin. I used to play cricket but once I started work I just felt too tired. I would go the gym but it’s too expensive.”

Rathbone spokesperson Peter Gibson added: “We hope that the weight lifters, the swimmers, the wrestlers, all of those taking part in London 2012 become good role models and re-ignite some interest in participating in sport. While we’d love the UK to dominate the medals, an improvement in our young peoples’ health would be really worth its’ weight in gold.”

You can read the full Rathbone Health & Wellbeing survey here.

Contact Ricky on 01642 211019 if you’d like to tackle the StreetLife 5 a-side football tournament.