Live-longer secrets from women around the world

Finland: try 'green' exercise

Unlike couch potato Britain, where three-quarters of us don't do enough exercise, in Finland keeping fit is a national pastime. Around 70% of Finns are physically active, half of the women walk or cycle to work and people defy sub-zero temperatures to go hiking, skiing or Nordic walking (using poles, which work the upper body, too). Yet in the early 1970s Finland had the highest rate of deaths from heart disease in the world - a trend it has reversed by combining a healthier diet and outdoor exercise. This brings double benefits, says Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex: ‘Green exercise improves people's physical and mental health. It boosts self-esteem, lifts the mood and reduces stress.'
 
Action point There are 140,000 miles of footpaths in England and Wales - call 01242 533258 or visit www.whi.org.uk for details. Or click here for Allaboutyou's walks: there are over 50. For more on Nordic walking, call 020 8211 3512 or visit www.nordicwalking.co.uk.