Every Body Walk

Walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week is the first step toward better health. This simple, take-charge message comes from health advocate Kaiser Permanente who in January announced Every Body Walk!, a year-long public awareness project aimed at starting the national conversation about the health benefits of walking.

Presently, more than 70 percent of all adults Americans lead sedentary lifestyles. This is significantly impacting the overall health of our country, which spends more then $2.7 trillion annually on medical care. An estimated 80 percent of that figure is spent on treating chronic conditions that can be prevented by walking.

Launched in January 2011, the cross-platform online campaign is anchored at EveryBodyWalk.org and combines short films, an upcoming documentary feature, a website property, social networking presence and media partnerships with multiple entities in the non-profit and corporate realm.

“The aim of the Every Body Walk! campaign is to inform Americans about the importance of walking,” said Bob Sallis, MD, Kaiser Permanente, Southern California Permanente Medical Group. “Walking is good physical exercise for everyone and for those with conditions like diabetes, asthma, heart disease and depression, a routine walking regimen has added benefit to managing these diseases. I’m a strong believer in the power of walking and that’s why I literally prescribe it to my patients as front line medicine – often instead of medications.”

Every Body Walk! is an online educational campaign aimed at getting Americans up and moving. A walking hub, www.everybodywalk.org, contains news and resources on walking, health information, walking maps, how to find walking groups, a personal pledge form to start walking as well as a place to share stories about individual experiences with walking.

At the centerpiece of the Web site is a series of short video vignettes featuring average Americans and motivational stories about how walking has changed their lives and lifestyles. The videos on www.everybodywalk.org are intended to be shared with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and anybody else. New videos will be added to the site each week. The project will culminate in a 30-minute documentary on the health benefits of walking, which will be accessible online.