Teams, families and survivors (in red caps) walked at the American Heart Association’s Fairfield County Heart Walk on Saturday. Dozens of corporate teams participated to support heart research and programs.
WESTPORT, CT - Hundreds of Fairfield County residents participated in the 2011 Heart Walk event at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Teams and individuals walked the 5K route on this windy but sunny day for their own heart health and to support heart disease and stroke research, as well as educational and advocacy programs in the Fairfield region American Heart Association. Company teams, community groups and families raised nearly $200,000 at the event.
“This event is really a celebration of a year-long commitment to health by these teams,” said Brent Atkins, Aetna Sales Director and Chair of the 2011 Heart Walk.
“Cardiovascular diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death. Events like the Heart Walk help promote our message of healthy lifestyles through exercise, and help raise important funding for programs and research,” he said.
Funds raised by Heart Walk participants and sponsors support heart and stroke research and public and professional education programs. American Heart Association-funded research has yielded important discoveries such as the heart-lung machine, CPR, life-extending drugs, pacemakers, bypass surgery and surgical techniques to repair heart defects. This year, the Heart Association supported 42 research studies in Connecticut totaling over $9.2 million.
The AHA acknowledged Wilton resident, Nancy Capelle for her advocacy efforts to make Wilton a HeartSafe Community, a program through the CT Department of Health and the AHA. She is a survivor of coronary artery dissection, often fatal.
The New England Culinary Group’s Chefs with Heart gave a food demo at the event. They will host a dining and dancing charity event on Nov. 2nd at the Westport Inn to benefit the AHA.
Teams and individuals can still donate to the event online through October. For more information about please email michele.grand@heart.org or visit www.fairfieldcountyheartwalk.org.
The Fairfield Heart Walk is presented locally by Cause Sponsor, Stamford Hospital and nationally by Subway. Media sponsors include The Hour Newspaper, Fairfield County Woman, News 12 CT and 95.9 The Fox Radio.
FACTS ON WALKING:
Why try walking?
Walking is the simplest way to start and continue a fitness journey.
Walking costs nothing to get started.
Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any type of exercise.
Walking is easy and safe.
Physically active people reduce their CVD risk by 30%.
Studies show that for every hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by two hours.
Walking is the single most effective form of exercise to achieve heart health.
Walking for as little as 30 minutes a day will improve circulation; reduce stress and anxiety; increase enthusiasm and optimism, improve muscle tone and strength; lower cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure; and promote weight loss.
To maintain your current weight, walk 30 minutes daily at 4mph.
To lose weight by incorporating exercise only (no diet changes); walk for 45 minutes daily at 4mph.
Employee walking programs pay off:
Physically active people save $500 a year in healthcare costs and reduce their CVD risk by 30% (the poorer your exercise capacity, the more expensive you are to treat medically).
Employers can save $3-15 for every $1 spent on health and wellness programs.
Heart disease costs employers more than $3 billion annually.
Fitness programs have reduced employer healthcare costs by 20 - 55%.
25-30% of companies’ medical costs are spent on employees with strong CVD risk factors.
There are nearly 1,200 AHA recognized Fit-Friendly Companies, accounting for nearly 3 million Americans engaged in wellness programs at work.
