Step It Up! The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities

#StepItUp

The Surgeon General has announced a call to action to increase walkability and physical activity in the U.S.

The #StepItUp campaign aims to combat chronic and preventable diseases simply by doing what our legs were made for: walking.

From the SurgeonGeneral.gov:

Being physically active is one of the most important steps that people of all ages and abilities can take to improve their health. Increasing people’s physical activity level will significantly reduce their risk of chronic disease and premature death and support positive mental health and healthy aging.

In 2012, almost 50% of U.S. adults, or 117 million people, were living with a chronic disease, and of this group, about 60 million were living with two or more chronic diseases.

What can you do to move more?

  • Take the stairs
  • Park farther away from your office or the store entrance
  • Walk & Talk – have more productive meetings when you walk while you talk on conference calls or in person
  • Get a pedometer or activity tracker
  • Challenge your friend, partner, or spouse to move with you.  Competition is a great motivator.
  • Incentivize!  Reward yourself, your employees, students, or your kids with free time, money, gift cards, or wellness hours if they record their walking distance or time.

step-it-up-walking-campaign

Happy Walking!

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