Health
VANCOUVER - Want to become more active with your family? Win great prizes for you and your community? Then take the Healthy Families BC Walking Challenge!
For six weeks, from Monday, Aug. 8 until Monday, Sept. 19, you can map your walks and share personal experiences online. The more posts you enter, the more chances you have to win some great prizes like pedometers, family packs or the grand prize of one of six family trips to a popular destination in British Columbia.
Everyone knows what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle: be physically active, eat nutritious meals, get plenty of sleep, and limit alcohol and eliminate tobacco use - but it takes a commitment to this kind of lifestyle change. With this challenge, families from across B.C. will be motivated to not only increase physical activity through walking, but also keep up healthy habits as a lifelong commitment.
You can help your community win big, too - just by sharing stories, photos or videos of your favourite walk. Weekly prizes, such as soccer balls and pedometers, will be awarded to communities across B.C. Grand prizes of cash totalling $100,000 will also be awarded to winning communities at the end of the challenge. The top five communities in their population size range with the most submissions will each receive $10,000 to support the development of walking trails. One of the five winning communities will be randomly drawn to receive an additional $50,000.
B.C. is recognized as a leader in Canada when it comes to healthy living, but smoking and obesity still remain the highest preventable causes of death among British Columbians. The direct and indirect cost of physical inactivity in our province is estimated to be $573 million annually. The costs associated with chronic diseases are the highest drain on British Columbia's health-care system and controlling their effects helps to save thousands.
The Healthy Families BC Walking Challenge is not only about saving money. It's about ensuring all families in British Columbia lead long, happy, healthy lives. There's no better place or time to explore the beautiful parks and trails every community in B.C. has to offer. The moderate climate and diverse environment we enjoy here in British Columbia provides endless possibilities for outdoor activities. So grab your running shoes, your dog, your child or your friend and hit the trails to win prizes, have fun and embark on a new lifestyle.
The Healthy Families BC Walking Challenge is offered in collaboration with 2010 Legacies Now and funded by the Provincial Health Service Authority as part of the Healthy Families BC initiative of the BC Ministry of Health.
Quick Facts:
- B.C. has the highest physical activity rates for youth and adults compared to other provinces and territories across Canada.
- Physical activity helps to prevent chronic diseases like cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
- British Columbia boasts over 530 trails.
- BC Parks is celebrating 100 years this year.
Learn More:
Share your healthy lifestyle stories and see how other communities around the province are doing at: www.HealthyFamiliesBCWalkingChallenge.ca
Many trails throughout British Columbia are easily accessible for everyone. Find trails near you and other outdoor activities at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/index.html
For tips on how to make physical activity part of your daily routine, visit Healthy Families BC at: www.HealthyFamiliesBC.ca
Contact:
Ministry of Health Communications
250 952-1887 (media line)
Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect
