Table 2 Problems developing a healthy living programme

Knowledge of healthy living recommendations

[a] Refers to awareness of recommended levels of healthy living such as dietary intake.

“Well not very good. I certainly eat fruit and vegetables every day but I couldn’t say that I eat the five a day, maybe two or three a day, but I haven’t managed to make the five a day. I certainly make a point of eating fruit every day besides the vegetables I am taking with my meals. But I take a lot of ready-made meals, you know”.

Difficulties maintaining a healthy lifestyle

[b] Refers to the difficulties individuals experience trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The problems of unpleasant effects on their physical and mental health when stopping smoking.

“Aye – just diet and that cut out a lot of fatty foods and takeaway food and that – cut that out. The only other thing is the smoking I try to cut that down but it is hard – I have been smoking for years. I tried to come off them before but with the mood swings my wife put me back on them because of the moods and that”.

[c] Refers to the difficulties individuals experience trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They described that if they were feeling unwell, or feeling depressed or had paranoid symptoms, they would be less likely to go out and be active illness.

“Aye – but see when I am depressed I don’t bother going out I just – when I am going to my mum’s I just take a taxi there and a taxi back”.

“Well see before I was hospitalised I was one for walking everywhere. I used to walk from xxxx Street into Hamilton and back and thought nothing of it”.

“When I am no well (mental health) I just do a lot less, but when I am well enough I dae like walking”.