Press Releases: Georgia
April 6, 2011
Walking: A Path Toward Fitness and Better Health
Join the Every Body Walk! Movement
ATLANTA — Starting a walking regimen of 30 minutes a day, five days a week is a step toward better health. That simple, take-charge message is at the center of Every Body Walk!, Kaiser Permanente’s new public awareness campaign to spark a national conversation about the health benefits of walking.
More than 70 percent of all adult Americans lead sedentary lifestyles, and it is impacting our physical and financial health. In the United States, an estimated 80 percent of the $2.5 trillion dollars spent annually on medical care is for the treatment of chronic diseases that can be prevented or treated by regular physical activity, such as walking.
“The goal of the Every Body Walk! campaign is to inform Americans about the impact walking can have on their total health — mind, body and spirit,” said Juanita Cone, MD, chief of population care, Kaiser Permanente Georgia. “Even those with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease and depression can walk, and a regular walking regimen has the added benefit of helping to manage these diseases. In fact, I often prescribe walking to my patients.”
Every Body Walk! is an online educational campaign aimed to get Americans moving. A walking hub, www.everybodywalk.org, contains news and resources on walking, health information, walking maps, lists of existing walking groups, a personal pledge form to start walking, as well as a place to share stories about individual experiences with walking.
The centerpiece of the website is a series of video vignettes featuring everyday Americans sharing motivational stories about how walking has changed their lives. The videos are intended to be shared with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and anybody else interested in improving their health and feeling better. New videos will be added to the site each week, and the project will culminate with a 30-minute documentary on the health benefits of walking, which will also be accessible online.
“The Every Body Walk! campaign is relevant to everyone and every entity — individuals, employers, municipalities, etc. Kaiser Permanente is making the project tools available to get anyone who wants to adopt a walking program and spread the word about potentially remarkable resulting health benefits,” said George Halvorson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente.
About Every Body Walk!
Every Body Walk! is powered by Kaiser Permanente. Campaign partners include American College of Sports Medicine, American Heart Association, Best Friends Animal Society, California Endowment, National Safe Routes to School and the Purpose Institute, to name a few.
About Kaiser Permanente Georgia
Kaiser Permanente is Georgia’s largest not-for-profit health plan. Its mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services to improve the health of its members and the communities it serves. Kaiser Permanente serves more than 240,000 members in a 28-county service area in metro-Atlanta with care focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists, and team of heath care providers. Expert and caring medical teams are supported by industry-leading technology and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Nationally, Kaiser Permanente is recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers, serving more than 8.7 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.kp.org.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.7 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support. For more information, go to www.kp.org/newscenter.
