Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield Issues National Walk @ Lunch Day Challenge To West Virginia Employers

April 9, 2009

PARKERSBURG – Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield is challenging all companies across the state to encourage their employees to wear comfortable shoes on Wednesday, April 29, and take a 30-minute lunchtime walk to celebrate the third annual National Walk @ Lunch Day®.

Developed by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, National Walk @ Lunch Day was created to assist Americans to live healthier lives by incorporating walking into their daily activities, specifically during their lunch breaks. Since most Americans' schedules are built around their workdays, National Walk @ Lunch Day is designed to fit into – not compete with – a person's daily routine. Last year, the event drew tens of thousands of participants in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield (Mountain State), along with Governor Joe Manchin and First Lady Gayle Manchin, Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, the West Virginia Office of Healthy Lifestyles and the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) are inviting the public to join them for the Charleston Walk @ Lunch Day from Noon until 1:00 p.m. along the eastbound lanes of Kanawha Boulevard. Participants will be able to join this walk at either one of two starting points. Leading the group from Greenbrier Street and Kanawha Boulevard will be Governor Joe Manchin and employees of our state government. Starting from Capitol Street and Kanawha Boulevard will be Mayor Danny Jones, Kanawha County Commissioner, Dave Hardy, along with city, county and Mountain State employees. Each group of walkers will meet at the halfway point at the Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthPLACE on the Move health bus for refreshments.

Those who cannot make it to the Charleston Walk, are encouraged to organize their own workplace walking event. West Virginia companies seeking information or promotional materials for planning a walk should access the National Walk @ Lunch Day link on Mountain State's website, www.msbcbs.com.

"We are asking companies to join Mountain State in holding lunchtime walks at or near the workplace," said the company's President and CEO, Gregory K. Smith. "Americans are busy with work, family and community commitments, so lunchtime walks are a great way to fit exercise into a full schedule."

National Walk @ Lunch Day is a component of WalkingWorks®, a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association physical activity program created to help consumers live healthier lives and reduce unnecessary medical costs due to physical inactivity. WalkingWorks was developed in partnership with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates the cost to treat illness and chronic disease caused by inactive lifestyles is nearly $1,000 for every family in America, every year. Simply getting 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, at least five times a week has significant health benefits, including lowering the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes, and improving the health of muscles, bones and joints. [Source: Physical Activity and Health, A Report of the Surgeon General, 1996.]

About Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield
Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Mountain State provides or administers coverage to more than 500,000 West Virginians and has close to 1,000 employees in Parkersburg, Charleston, Wheeling and Weirton. To learn more about Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield, please visit www.msbcbs.com.