Walk to Wellness campaign continues to help people with health

  • Published
  • By Dr. Mary Nelson and Kate Munson
  • Health and Wellness Center
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  This is a Threatcon Charlie-Charlie Community Announcement- the Travis Team is joining together to improve health, while at the same time gaining knowledge of the factors that contribute to their wellness, by joining the third phase of the Step-by-Step Walk to Wellness Campaign. 

The average American takes 3,000 to 5,000 steps per day [about two miles]. Recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine point out that increasing to 10,000 steps a day [about 5 miles] can lead to weight loss, lowered blood sugar levels, lowered stress levels, improved high-density lipoprotein [good cholesterol], improved self-esteem, better sleep, more energy, healthier arteries and improved fitness. 

As President Bush recently pointed out, the Baby Boomers are coming of age and Walking to Wellness has been shown to slow the aging process. 

The Step-by-Step Walk to Wellness Campaign is being conducted in four phases. The first two phases were conducted by the HOLDSS [hypertension, obesity, lipidemia, diabetes, smoking, stress] clinic. Phase one recognized the 349th Air Mobility Wing as group winners with more than one million steps. Phase two recognized the 615th Contingency Response Wing as group winners also with more than one million steps. 

The launch of the third phase of Walk to Wellness is March 10 at noon at the Duck Pond by the North Gate entrance. Pre-registration is encouraged by Wednesday. 

Contact Staff Sgt. James Colvin at 424-4634. Pedometers will be distributed and participants will track their daily steps and then report their steps to the Health and Wellness Center on a weekly basis. Educational E-newsletters will be sent to participants weekly during the 12-week campaign. 

The HAWC is striving to obtain pre- and post- campaign: (1) height and weight to calculate body mass index, (2) blood pressures and (3) cholesterol. Participants will also be offered educational opportunities at the HAWC in Nutrition/Fitness 101 classes.
Two very important educational notes to get you started: 

February is American Heart Month and African American History Month. 

Did you know that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women? It kills one in 2.5 women in the United States. 

Also, cardiovascular disease is more prevalent and fatal in African Americans due to their increased incidence of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. [American Heart Association]. 

The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that 30 percent of U.S. adults ages 20 and older – more than 60 million people – are obese. 

The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens ages 6 to 19, 16 percent – more than nine million young people – are considered overweight. [1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey]. 

The benefits of increased physical activity have been well documented in the literature. Please join us in this quest for health. You are the catalyst in your own defense against disease and/or disability. Stay well. Stay fit. Defy the statistics. 

Call the HAWC 424-4292 to join today.