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'National Start! Walking Day' Is This Wednesday, April 16th; AHA Calls on Americans Coast-to-Coast to Walk for 30 Minutes during Their Workday
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
This Wednesday, April 16th, is the
American Heart Association's "National Start! Walking Day". The
call to action is simple: Americans should fit 30 minutes of walking
into their workday.
Studies reveal that American jobs have become more sedentary--and that
employees are working 164 more hours a year than they did 20 years ago.
The "Start!" movement works with both employers and the 142 million
Americans in the workplace, in order to create a culture of walking
before, during, or after work.
"Incorporating walking into your daily routine is one of the easiest
changes that you can make: You can hop off the bus or subway a stop or
two earlier, take the stairs at work, or park farther away," says
American Heart Association spokesperson and exercise physiologist Dr.
Barry Franklin. "There are lots of little ways to incorporate a few
more steps--which can truly have life-changing results."
Companies across the country are celebrating "National Start! Walking
Day" by hosting walking rallies during the workday, establishing walking
routes in their offices, and encouraging employees to wear walking shoes
to work on Wednesday.
The American Heart Association is partnering with Donny Osmond,
who serves as the national spokesperson for both "National Start!
Walking Day" and the "Start!" campaign. Osmond has lost both parents to
heart disease--which is why he is recommitted to maintaining his
physical fitness.
"Good health is a very important component of my life. But, with a
demanding schedule and a busy family, I know what it's like to be unable
to find the time," Osmond says. "That's why this program is so great.
Walking is simple--and it's free. Most people can find places to walk
at work, or in their communities. You can literally start making a big
improvement on 'National Start! Walking Day'."
Walking has many proven benefits--and walking briskly for 30 minutes a
day can lower both bad-cholesterol (LDL) levels and high blood
pressure. It also has the lowest dropout rate of any type of
exercise--largely because walking is free and easy to do.
Underscoring the importance of a healthy workforce, sedentary careers
can raise the risk for a host of medical problems--including obesity,
high blood pressure, and diabetes. Employers face ever-increasing
healthcare costs--such as $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due
to obesity alone.
"Start!" focuses on four key elements to help combat the rising epidemic
of inactivity:
"MyStart! Online"--a free, Web-based fitness and nutrition
tracker--is the focal point for a walking program that offers constant,
measurable personal improvement.
The "Start! Fit-Friendly Companies" recognition program
officially recognizes employers who champion the health of their
employees and work to create a culture of physical activity in the
workplace.
The "Start! Walking Program" encourages companies to both promote
walking at work and recognize and reward employees who move from a
sedentary to a more-active lifestyle.
The "Start! Heart Walk"--the American Heart Association's premier
fund-raiser--helps people improve their health by walking, while helping
fund the fight against heart disease and stroke. More than 450 "Start!
Heart Walks" are held each year in cities nationwide.
"Start!" is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY® Restaurants,
Healthy Choice®, and AstraZeneca. For more information, call
1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit
heart.org/start.
