Experts call for campaign to boost nation's mental health

A "five-a-day"-style campaign to boost the mental health of the nation is needed to combat rising rates of depression, anxiety and drug abuse, government advisers say today.Ministers are being urged to consider the proposal following a two-year report into the country's mental wellbeing by the government's horizon-scanning think tank Foresight.The Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing, which is backed by the government's chief science adviser John Beddington, draws on advice from more than 400 international experts and examines experiences and lifestyle factors that boost or diminish mental wellbeing throughout life. It warns that mental illness caused by stressful working conditions, a lack of exercise and a breakdown in family and social networks is likely to be exacerbated by the economic downturn and rising average age of the population.Mental ill health already costs £77bn a year in England alone, with direct costs to the economy approaching £49bn. The proposed campaign,...

Read the whole article on The Guardian - Science

More from The Guardian - Science

Related