RRCA launching 1st Annual Run at Work Day on September 22
Posted Thursday, 21 September, 2006
On September 22, 2006, the Road Runners Club of America, the largest grassroots running organization in the country, will launch the 1st Annual RRCA National Run@Work Day. The purpose of National Run@Work Day is to promote physical activity and healthy living through running or walking.
"Promoting running and a healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone of the Road Runners Club of America," remarked Jean Knaack, executive director. "We encourage employers and employees nationwide to plan and participate in local Run@Work Day events as part of the national movement to get people to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Please join us on September 22, 2006 by making time in your busy schedule to plan and/or participate in a local Run@Work Day event."
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimates that 64% of US adults are either overweight (33%) or obese (31%), meaning they have an excess weight of 30 lbs or more. For over 20 years, the CDC has been tracking obesity trends, and they have reported that the rate of overweight adults in the US has increase by 18% in those 20 years.
The causes of overweight and obesity can be complex. However simply put overweight and obesity results from an energy imbalance. Eating more calories and not getting enough exercise or physical activity results in the imbalance that causes overweight. The results of overweight and obesity can put a person at increased risks of many diseases and health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and others. The rise of overweight and obesity and the resulting health conditions has a dramatic effect on health insurance costs around the U.S. It is estimated that overweight and obesity health related medical costs have reached an all time high of $75.8 billion per year (http://www.CDC.gov), a cost which is being passed onto employers and healthy employees.
From fun runs to art walks, from health fairs to proclamations, running clubs, company-based wellness programs, human resources departments, and individuals nationwide have a variety of events planned for September 22. Its not to late to develop a simple fun run from your work place to encourage individuals to incorporate at least thirty-five minutes of exercise into their daily routine either before work, during lunch, or immediately following work. Incorporating exercise into one's daily routine can markedly improve one's overall physical health and can help alleviate health related medical costs associated with overweight and obesity.
For more information on planning an event visit http://www.RRCA.org and click on the Run@Work Day banner ad.
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