Safety – Amenity – Access – Health

 

Att:  Justin Bianchini

Editor

Joondalup-Wanneroo Times

wannerootimes@communitynews.com.au

 

Tom and Christine put their feet first for
National Walk To Work Day – Friday 3 October 2008

 

‘By 2025, a total of 4.6 million Australians are projected to be obese’ ¹ - Don’t be one of them!

Local couple Tom and Christine McLean will be taking steps in the right direction on Friday 3 October, for National Walk to Work Day (WTWD). 

 

Tom, a City of Joondalup Councillor, said walking is such a simple activity, yet it seems the majority of Australians don’t do enough of it.  This is one of the key reasons that currently over half of the Australian population is overweight or obese.

 

“I had a stroke some years ago, and since then, have aimed to include walking into my day.   National Walk to Work Day is the perfect time to stop making excuses, do something good for yourself and develop a new healthy habit of regular physical activity,” said Tom. 

 

National Walk to Work Day is held annually to remind all Australians that regular physical activity such as walking is a great way to not only avoid obesity but also a range of illnesses including high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis and cancer.

 

“My workplace, Perth Convention Bureau (PCB), is running a ‘secret destination’ morning walk for staff, followed by a healthy breakfast.  We are also encouraging all conference delegates in WA to start their day off with a brisk walk, or add one into their program,” said PCB Managing Director Christine McLean.

 

Meanwhile, 23.8% of Type 2 diabetes and 21.3% of Cardio Vascular Disease is caused by obesity. Obesity and being overweight are also important causes of cancer, particularly cancers of the colon (11%), breast cancer in post-menopausal women (9%), uterus (39%), kidney (25%), oesophagus (37%) and gall bladder (24%)

 

Walking along with other therapies can also be used to overcome mild to moderate depression which accounts for three to four days off work per month for each person experiencing depression – the equivalent of more than six million working days per year in Australia². Undiagnosed depression costs $4.3 billion dollars in lost productivity annually³.

 

Christine said: “WTWD is truly an event for everyone.  Our workplace is 100 per cent behind this campaign because like many other public and private organisations across Australia, PCB believes the benefits of encouraging people to get fit and healthy by walking more, far outweighs the costs.  They regularly provide health and wellbeing activities, including subsidised personal training sessions.”

 

Tom and Christine remind other local residents that every step counts towards better health and cleaner air.   Organisations and individuals can register for Walk to Work Day at www.walk.com.au .   There is no cost to register or participate.

 

For more information or to set up a photo shot of Tom and Christine, in preparation for Walk to Work Day, please contact:

 

Karen Kerlin                                                              Christine McLean

PR Coordinator                                                         Managing Director

Walk to Work Day                                                     Perth Convention Bureau   

Phone 0414 443 964                                                  Phone 9480 3314

2 Andrews G, Hall W, Teesson M, and Henderson S. (1999). The Mental Health of Australians. Mental Health Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

3 Hilton, M. (2004). Assessing the financial return on investment of good management strategies and the WORC Project. The University of Queensland.