Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Community Outreach Department applaud the steps Senator Leroy Comrie is taking to prevent childhood and adult obesity by promoting healthier lifestyle options that include walking.
Obesity is a problem that affects many Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximately one-third, or 78.6 million Americans are obese. In addition, 17%, or 12.7 million children are obese. Obesity is a leading cause of a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer
Living a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity, in combination with a healthy diet is the best way to combat obesity. While many forms of physical activity require time and financial commitments that many of us do not have, one of the easiest ways to get your daily dose of physical activity is through walking.
Walking is very important for weight control. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you’ll burn. Generally speaking, by adding 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn approximately 150 calories a day. If you walk at a more vigorous pace and for a longer duration of time, you can burn even more calories and lose even more weight.
Senator Leroy Comrie and other local elected officials understand the importance of promoting physical activity to combat obesity, so together they created the “Walk for Wellness” event. This second annual series of walks are held in various parks and playgrounds through Southeast Queens on select Saturdays. The walks began in June and continue into October. Each walk begins at 8:30 a.m. and is open to all.
According to Senator Comrie, “The Walk for Wellness event was created to be a community-wide initiative to combat obesity. By supporting one another in this effort, we can really make a difference by improving our health and the health of our neighbors.”
Of course, if you have underlying health issues, speak to a doctor before beginning any exercise program. If you do not have a doctor, you can call Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center at 718-206-7001 to schedule an appointment to determine how much walking is appropriate for you.
To learn more about the Walk for Wellness event, please call Senator Comrie’s office at 718-454-0162.
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.