AARP Wisconsin's Active for Life TM Promotes Physical Activity
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-02-24 11:18:00-05:00
AARP Wisconsin's Active for LifeTM project in Madison is a multi-year effort to encourage people 50+ of all fitness levels to include more physical activity in their everyday routines.
Walking is being emphasized because it is suitable for people of all fitness levels and has a low risk of injury. Surveys have found that walking is the number one activity that people 50+ either do—or say they want to do—to be more physically active. In fact, 74% of those who are active say that walking is their preferred activity.
Many community partners in Madison have joined in the Active for LifeTM effort to promote walking, including: UW Health, the Madison School Community Recreation Department, YMCA of Dane County and the City of Madison. Many community churches, senior centers and hospitals have also signed on.
During the fall of 2003, AARP and its partners distributed 5,000 free step counters to encourage walking in Dane County. Research shows that most people take an average of 2,000 to 4,000 steps per day, but active people take at least 10,000 steps a day. According to a Surgeon General's Report, the benefits of regularly walking recommended distances include reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and other maladies. Walkers also tend to live longer, healthier lives than their sedentary counterparts.
Active for LifeTM also has partners who advocate for policies that improve community environments for safe and accessible walking and biking. The Active for LifeTM staff is teaming up with professionals from the City of Madison, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin, as well as the Safe Community Coalition, Wisconsin Walks and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, to make a difference in policy-making at the local and state levels.
Active for LifeTM is presently available only in Madison and in Richmond, VA. What is learned in the Active for LifeTM project will be used by local groups in their design of future physical activity programs. AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will also use the data to design physical activity campaigns in other cities throughout the country. Active for LifeTM is a trademark of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
If your organization or community is interested in learning more about the Active for LifeTM walking campaign and/or its effort to promote safe, accessible neighborhood environments for physical activity, contact Jim Stickels at (608) 286-6311 or John Bauer at (608) 286-6303.
Other Resources
- Be Active for Life
Being physically active for at least 30 minutes a day, five or more days a week, can make a positive difference in your life. - Be Active for Life Handbook and Guide for Madison
The Be Active for Life Handbook features a 12-week program where you'll learn how to work at least 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine, tailoring activities to fit your needs and lifestyle. The Be Active for Life Guide for Madison lists local resources for just about every kind of physical activity you can imagine.
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