Walk on: Health Ministry initiative encourages active lifestyles
A new national initiative from the Health Ministry has been introduced to inspire more active lifestyles.
The “#Walk30” initiative will look to promote awareness on the importance of walking and the benefits of exercise.
It will be carried out in all Saudi regions and governorates to raise awareness throughout the Kingdom.
The national walking project aims at increasing the number of people who walk from 17 to 35 percent, promote public health, spread the culture of walking and help people who are injured or are at risk of chronic illness.
The project includes National Walking Day, under the theme “Saudi Arabia walks,” which will be held on March 5.
The initiative seeks to improve overall health by reducing the level of cholesterol and preserving joint and muscle strength. Walking also improves the mood and reduces anxiety and depression. It burns extra calories and improves blood flow to stay fit and avoid diseases.
Health specialist at the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal Hospital, Saliha Al-Nehmi, said: “Walking is one of the easiest activities, requiring minimal effort. It does not require any special equipment or training, and can be done at any time and any place, such as gardens, malls, roads, the beach and many other places, and is not limited to a specific age group.” “When we walk, all our muscles work, from our feet up to our arms, which increases blood flow,” she added.
Al-Nehmi stressed the importance of walking 30 minutes per day, and following safety instructions such as choosing the right place, clothes and shoes and warming up the body.
The Saudi Universities Sports Federation (SUSF) is seeking to increase physical activity, especially among students.
Dr. Khalid Al-Muzaini, president of the SUSF, said the federation is implementing awareness programs to encourage the university community to become physically active and help the ministry’s efforts.
He said the SUSF supports the #Walk30 initiative in Saudi universities, noting that universities are among the best places where such initiatives can succeed.
The federation will be organizing walking competitions for 30 days among 64 competing teams, each of 30 persons of both genders, and the best universities will be honored on March 5, said Al-Muzaini.
The ministry’s director general of marketing and awareness, Anas Al-Hamid, said that many schools and universities were taking part in the campaign, and that there was an app to calculate the number of steps taken.
FASTFACT
The walking campaign is part of the ministry’s goals to achieve targets in the Vision 2030 reform plan aimed at improving public health and boosting life expectancy from 74 to 80 years.