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For Release Wednesday,
3rd April, 2002 |
CONTACT:
April Crowley |
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PHONE:850-245-4111
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TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Health (DOH) celebrated National Public Health Week (April 1-7) and World Health Day (April 7) today at a press conference and “health walk” in Tallahassee today. The slogan for World Health Day 2002, “Move for Health,” seeks to inspire regular physical activity. Physical activity need not be strenuous to be beneficial.
“You can engage in all kinds of healthy activities that cover a wide range of intensity,” said Department of Health (DOH) Secretary John O. Agwunobi, M.D., M.B.A. He added, “These can include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking briskly, jogging, biking, and practicing sports.”
Living an active lifestyle is one of the best investments for individual and community health. Engaging in regular physical activity reduces the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, colon cancer and obesity. The benefits of regular physical activity go beyond disease prevention. It has been shown to help people manage stress better, lower depression and anxiety, strengthen self-esteem, and boost mental alertness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even though the health rewards of physical activity are well known, two out of every three persons living in an urban area lead a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is a serious public health problem that results in poor health and increased health care costs.
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