TWO public meetings will be held this week to find out what people think would encourage them to adopt more healthy lifestyles.

The meetings are being organised by North Yorkshire County Council and Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust (PCT).

They will give people a chance to put their views to people responsible for developing health services nationally and locally.

Rosemary Archer, the county's director of social services, said: "The county council is committed to working in partnership with local health services to ensure that local people benefit from initiatives such as this.

"These meetings are part of a national consultation and it is very important that the needs of people in rural communities are taken into account by policy-makers in London."

Dr Andrew Clark, director of public health and medical director at the PCT, said: "We know that most people are aware of the benefits of a a healthy diet, physical exercise, giving up smoking, but barriers exist which prevent people taking steps to help themselves.

"The consultation wants to find out more about these barriers, so solutions can be developed to overcome them."

Both meetings will be held on Thursday - at 9.30am in The Cairn Hotel, Harrogate, and at 6.45pm in the Council Offices, Granville Street, Skipton.

Any resident of North Yorkshire can also give their views to the consultation by completing a questionnaire which can be found on North Yorkshire County Council's website at www.northyorks.gov.uk.

Assistance is available from any of the county council's library and information centres.