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A communication design study looking at ways in which diverse promotional material, such as posters and maps, can encourage people at risk from heart disease to join local walking groups and exercise regularly.
A design study looking at ways in which communication materials such as posters and maps can encourage people at risk from heart disease to join local walking groups and exercise regularly.
In Britain, one in four men and one in five women die every year from coronary heart disease. But just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity such as regular walking on five or more days a week will significantly reduce the risks of a heart attack. Unfortunately 70 per cent of the UK adult population do not get enough exercise. Walking The Way To Health is a national initiative run jointly by the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency. It aims to encourage local communities at risk from heart disease, such as older people and low-income groups, to exercise regularly. This project explored the use of communication design to motivate and facilitate regular walking.
The researcher worked closely with local walking groups to develop a set of ‘What are you waiting for?’ posters placed as triggers in the environment to encourage people to walk. Zoned walking maps were also proposed, together with a generic poster campaign to promote greater use of urban green spaces and poster shells to provide local groups with a design kit to produce their own communication.
