A drive to improve the health of middle-aged women has been boosted by research in Bradford.

Nearly 80 per cent of the women given health screening under a pilot study in the city had made positive changes to their lifestyle when they were visited later.

The pioneering research was carried out in Bradford by the Pennell Initiative for Women's Health, which is concerned that women in their 40s and 50s frequently neglect their health.

The findings will now be unveiled to decision makers in the Government on May 15 at a 'purple tea party' at the House of Commons.

Under the study, health researchers carried out 20-minute health screening interviews on women in their workplaces and at shopping centres - in total, 407 women were seen under the scheme.

At the follow up interviews, and as a result of the health and lifestyle check, it was found that almost 80 per cent had made positive changes to their lifestyle, including:

l 21 per cent increasing amounts of exercise

l 35 per cent trying to lose weight

l 10 per cent had requested breast screening

l 38 per cent were eating more fruit and vegetables

l 10 per cent were now performing personal breast examinations

Julia Cole, of Pennell, said: "This pilot was incredibly positive. It bears out our hypothesis that if you meet with women for a proper amount of time, 20 or 30 minutes, and don't lecture them, but actually talk to them and engage with them, they will make changes to their lifestyle and become more healthy.

"It's particularly important for women in mid life because we think this group are quite neglectful of their own health."

A breakdown of the results of the Bradford research shows that the scheme was particularly successful at reaching women in low income groups with few qualifications - a group that traditionally is slow at asking for help.

"Of the people involved, 46.7 per cent had no educational attainment and this group doesn't tend to access health screening very much.

"But because we were talking to women in shopping centres and in Boots and in their workplace, they did have access to health screening."

The Pennell charity is now hoping that companies will take the findings on board and introduce screening for women employees through existing occupational health schemes.