Nova Scotia Wraps Up SummerActive 2003
Nova Scotians got a boost of physical activity thanks to the 2003 SummerActive campaign.
The national campaign was launched in the province on May 9. The Office of Health Promotion, in partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, challenged participants at the Halifax launch to be more active and to take steps towards healthy living for the future. Teams from 12 workplaces accepted the challenge and submitted weekly activity sheets.
"It's great to see so many people getting active and discovering the fun and the health benefits of physical activity," said Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald. "Small changes in our daily routine can add up to the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity that we should all strive for."
The 310 Nova Scotians who accepted the challenge got their daily physical activity by doing everything from walking to yard work. The team from the Department of Health's Revenue and Recovery division had the most physical activity during the campaign's challenge with an average of more than two hours of physical activity per person, each day.
"Incorporating physical activity into your daily life can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke," Jane Farquharson, executive director Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. "And you can have fun while getting active -- like we saw so many people do during this campaign."
Communities across Nova Scotia offered unique opportunities for people to get active during the campaign including salsa and yoga fitness classes at The Locker Room in Windsor; a trail walk in Creignish led by an active woman in a wheelchair; and a walk in Halifax led by a 97-year-old.
SummerActive, a program of Health Canada, is a national community-based campaign designed to increase awareness about the importance of physical activity to health. The annual provincial SummerActive campaign promotes and supports events in communities across Nova Scotia. For more information about SummerActive, visit www.summeractive.canoe.ca .