Blue Cross And Blue Shield Companies To Host Second Annual National Walk@Lunch Day On April 30, 2008
January 29, 2008
WASHINGTON – Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the country will encourage their employees to wear comfortable walking shoes to work and participate in lunchtime walks as part of the second annual National Walk@Lunch DaySM on April 30, 2008. Each Blue company also will work with local employers to engage their workforces in National Walk@Lunch Day.
The motivation behind National Walk@Lunch Day is simple: encourage people to take time during their lunch breaks to start walking toward better health. Most Americans' schedules are built around the workday, so National Walk@Lunch Day is designed to fit into - not compete with - their daily schedules.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) created National Walk@Lunch Day to encourage Americans to live healthier lives by incorporating walking into their daily activities. Last year, 30 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, hosted lunchtime walks on National Walk@Lunch Day and tens of thousands of Blue employees, customers and community leaders took a half hour out of their workday to go for a walk.
"National Walk@Lunch Day creates an opportunity for employers to encourage their employees to engage in physical activity to promote a healthier workplace environment," said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and CEO. "This program is one example of how the Blues are becoming active partners in enabling the health and wellness of consumers. An increase in physical fitness not only helps protect individuals from serious health problems down the road, but helps us all control the rising healthcare costs in our nation."
National Walk@Lunch Day is an outgrowth of WalkingWorks®, a Blue company program created to help consumers live healthier lives and lower unnecessary medical costs due to a lack of exercise. The WalkingWorks program was developed in 2002 with the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
For more information, or to find a National Walk@Lunch Day activity in your community, please visit www.bcbs.com/walkatlunch.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 100 million members - one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.
