Newswise — The pedways in one midwestern city now have a new purpose--getting people to where they need to go in their journey to a healthier lifestyle.
Initiating the nation's first Start! program public walkway, UK HealthCare, the American Heart Association and the Downtown Development Corp. are working together to help those who live and work in Lexington take care of their heart health.
The three organizations are urging people to walk during the workday on sidewalk and pedway routes in the downtown area marked with the bright-green American Heart Association's "Start!" symbol. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
"Exercise is absolutely something we all need to incorporate into our lives," said Dr. Susan Smyth, a cardiologist at the UK Gill Heart Institute. "Brisk walking for just 30 minutes per day has many benefits. It can be effective in helping to control body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol." Being overweight or obese, and having high blood pressure or cholesterol numbers are risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
Start! is a workplace-based initiative of the American Heart Association to help adults get more physical activity into their daily lives. Many people work at sedentary jobs that don't call for much movement. Employers stand to benefit from Start! because heart disease and stroke are expensive in terms of absenteeism, lost productivity and increased health insurance costs. The program is free and comes with a coordinator's toolkit (which includes Start! path markers for the company's use) and an online component to help track diet and physical activity.
The American Heart Association's Heart Walk annual fund-raising event on the campus of the University of Kentucky is part of Start!—a natural fit since most walk teams are company-based. This year's Start! Heart Walk and Tailgate Party will be in April at UK's Commonwealth Stadium, home to the football Wildcats, on the day of the annual blue-white exhibition game. Proceeds go to fund advocacy, education and research, including projects at the University of Kentucky.
For more information about heart health, contact UK HealthCare at (800) 333-8874. To learn how to participate in Start! or the downtown Start! walking paths, contact the American Heart Association at (859) 278-1632.
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