With just one month to go, Ireland is getting ready to celebrate #BeActive Day 2025 on Tuesday, September 23rd. As part of the European Week of Sport, #BeActive Day invites schools, clubs, workplaces, and community groups across the country to host their physical activity events to promote healthier, more active lifestyles.

This year’s theme is the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases through Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). The campaign aims to empower communities to take simple, meaningful steps toward better health by getting people moving in ways that suit their needs and abilities.

Since its launch, Ireland Active member facilities will be hosting a wide variety of activities, from Aqua Aerobics and Pilates sessions to Fitness for Life programmes and swimming classes. Many facilities are also opening their doors to non-members, offering access to open gyms and induction sessions. Some facilities are also providing bring-a-friend opportunities, competitions, and special offers to make #BeActive Day even more engaging.

“Preventing and managing non-communicable diseases must be at the heart of Ireland’s health policy, and Health-Enhancing Physical Activity is one of the most effective tools we have. Gyms, Swimming pools, leisure centres, and community facilities play a vital role in making activity accessible to all, providing safe and supportive environments where people can take simple, meaningful steps to improve their health. Prioritising prevention through physical activity will not only reduce the burden of chronic disease but also strengthen communities and deliver long-term savings for our health system,” said Karl Dunne, CEO of Ireland Active.

Supported by the Irish Heart Foundation and the Marie Keating Foundation, this year’s #BeActive Day highlights the critical role of movement in preventing chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

“The Irish Heart Foundation is proud to partner and support this important initiative by Ireland Active, which highlights the vital role of physical activity in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease, one of the leading causes of death in Ireland, claiming over 9,000 lives each year. 

Despite its proven benefits, four in five adults and three in four young people in Ireland do not get enough daily movement to support good heart health.

This year, Ireland Active’s campaign shines a spotlight on the power of movement in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. By encouraging people to be active through Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) in ways that suit their abilities and lifestyles, this initiative empowers individuals and communities to take simple, meaningful steps toward healthier lives.

As an organisation committed to promoting heart health nationwide, we are proud to champion efforts that inspire lasting, positive change through physical activity,” said Janis Morrissey, Director of Health Information and Training with the Irish Heart Foundation

Speaking about the importance of activity for cancer prevention, Director of Nursing Services at the Marie Keating Foundation, Helen Forristal, said,

“You can cut your risk of cancer by 30-50% by making changes to your daily routine. It is estimated that we can help prevent four out of ten cancers by focusing on modifiable lifestyle factors such as being physically active.

We are proud to be partnering with Ireland Active for #BeActiveday 2025, helping to promote the importance of being active to improve your health, mentally and physically. Keeping your body fit and physically active is also an essential step in helping to reduce your risk of cancer.

By doing just 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, you can help to reduce your risk of:

• Colon (large bowel) cancer
• Endometrial (lining of the womb) cancer
• Post-menopausal breast cancer

Of course, physical activity can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which has the extra benefit of reducing your risk of other cancers. Being active can also support those recovering from cancer and those living with cancer. It can help relieve the stresses and anxieties also associated with illness and treatment side effects and help positively to regain and maintain good mental health. Exercise can be done anywhere, and being in nature has huge positive benefits to living well. Its benefits are for everyone in every way.

So, get moving however you can, be it walking, hiking, swimming, dancing, resistance training or any other way you can move your body safely and stay active. Let’s embrace this national movement to get moving!”

In 2024, more than 588,287 people across Europe took part in #BeActive events across Europe. This year, the goal is to grow participation and deepen the impact of physical activity on public health.

ENDS

For more information, contact Val Sizychas, Marketing and Communications Officer, Ireland Active on 085 8149891, by email, or visit #BeActive Day 2025 webpage

Editors Notes:

Physical activity plays a transformative role in public life:

• Physical activity is a powerful, cost-effective intervention to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

• Based on the Irish Sports Monitor 2024, personal exercise (18%) and swimming (8%) remain the two most popular sporting activities among adults.

• The fitness and physical activity sector play a critical role in offering inclusive, community-based solutions.

• Physical inactivity in Ireland is estimated to cost the country around €1.5 billion annually, with a significant portion of this attributed to treating preventable diseases.

•  In 2019, participation in sports and physical activity prevented 97,000 cases of disease, saving the healthcare system and wider society an estimated €405 million. 

• Children and young people (2-18) should aim for at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily. Adults (18-64) should accumulate at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. Older adults (65+) should incorporate a mix of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and balance activities, totalling at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week. 

• Inclusivity and accessibility are vital: interventions must be tailored, safe, and supportive for all.

About Ireland Active: Ireland Active is the national association for the leisure, health, and fitness sector in Ireland. Representing over 400 member facilities including gyms, leisure centres, swimming pools, and wellness providers, we advocate for the development of a healthier, more active nation. Through training, industry standards, research, and collaboration, we support our members to deliver safe, inclusive, and high-quality physical activity experiences across the country.

About #BeActive Day: #BEACTIVE DAY in a pan-European campaign that takes place every year on 23rd September, during the European Week of Sport. The initiative celebrates the fun of physical activity and emphasises the importance of physical activity for people's physical, mental, and social well-being by organising thousands of free events and activities across the continent.

About Marie Keating Foundation: The Marie Keating Foundation was founded by the Keating family in 1998 when sadly, mother of five Marie died from a form of breast cancer that was very treatable. She was aged just fifty-one. Marie did not know the early signs of breast cancer which led to delaying seeking medical care and her cancer becoming incurable. Her family set up the Foundation in her name and it is passionately committed to ensuring that access to free, lifesaving cancer information and support is available to all people in Ireland. The Foundation, our Board and the Keating family remain committed to this goal.

Today, the Marie Keating Foundation is one of the leading voices in Ireland for cancer prevention, awareness, and support.

About Irish Heart Foundation: Every hour, someone in Ireland suffers from a stroke. Every day, hundreds of people in Ireland are diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.

Lives are often cut tragically short, and many are left disabled. Each year, almost 9,000 people die from heart disease and stroke, one of the country’s biggest killers.

It doesn’t have to be this way, and our vision is for a future where no hearts are broken by preventable heart disease and stroke. This is why the Irish Heart Foundation was founded in 1966. As the national stroke and heart charity, we work every day to save lives and heal hearts.

Irish Heart Foundation's mission is to eliminate preventable death and disability from heart disease and stroke, and to support and care for those living with these life-changing conditions.