START: Strength Training Awareness and Referral Technology

缺乏运动每年造成英国70亿英镑的损失，每6例死亡中就有1例是由运动不足造成的。虽然一些锻炼方案的目的是应对老龄化和缺乏活动的全球挑战，但在现实世界中仍然缺乏成功的方案。当老年人变得不活跃时，他们就会失去力量，变得虚弱。身体虚弱的老年人更有可能摔倒、住院、抑郁、患糖尿病、心血管疾病和癌症，并比他们应该更早地住进养老院。在人们还健康的时候，在他们表现出肌肉无力的迹象之前，为他们提供锻炼计划，可以防止这些毁灭性的后果。将运动推荐作为医疗保健的常规部分，并为所有成年人提供参与运动的机会和好处，也将有助于减少晚年生活中的健康不平等。研究表明，医生在与病人讨论或向病人推荐锻炼时并不自信。虽然我们的研究表明，老年人和锻炼提供者并不知道锻炼指南，参加锻炼的好处，以及向哪里寻求支持。我们的使命是将老年人与经证明可降低残疾和疾病风险的量身定做的锻炼计划联系起来。我们的平台将成为医生和锻炼提供者的一个易于使用的工具，以支持锻炼意识、知识、推荐和支持，而使用它将导致更快乐、更健康和更活跃的人群。

Physical inactivity costs the UK £7 billion each year and is responsible for 1 in every 6 deaths. Although a number of exercise programmes have aimed to address the global challenge of ageing and inactivity, there continues to be a shortage of successful programmes in real-world settings. When older adults become inactive, they lose their strength and become weak. Older adults who are weak are more likely to have a fall, become hospitalized, depressed, develop diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, and live in a care home much earlier than they should.Providing people with an exercise programme while they are still healthy, and before they shown signs of muscle weakness can prevent these devastating outcomes. Exercise referral as a routine part of healthcare and providing all adults the opportunity and benefits of participating in exercise will also help to reduce health inequalities in later life. Research shows that doctors don't feel confident discussing or referring exercise to their patients. While our research shows that older adults and exercise providers are unaware of exercise guidelines, the benefits of exercise participation, and where to turn to for support. Our mission is to connect older adults with the tailored exercise programs that are proven to lower the risk of disability and disease. Our platform will be an easy-to-use tool for doctors and exercise providers to support exercise awareness, knowledge, referral, and support while its use will lead to a happier, healthier, and more active population.