|
The Road Runners Club of America, the largest grassroots running organization in the country, proclaims September 22, 2006 as RRCA National Run@Work Day. The purpose of National Run@Work Day is to promote physical activity and healthy living through running or walking.
“Promoting running and a healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone of the Road Runners Club of America,” remarked Jean Knaack, executive director. “We encourage employers and employees nationwide to participate in Run@Work Day as part of the national movement to get people to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Please join us today by making time in your busy schedule to participate in a local Run@Work Day event.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) estimates that 64% of US adults are either overweight (33%) or obese (31%), meaning they have an excess weight of 30 lbs or more. For over 20 years, the CDC has been tracking obesity trends, and they have reported that the rate of overweight adults in the US has increase by 18% in those 20 years.
The causes of overweight and obesity can be complex. However simply put overweight and obesity results from an energy imbalance. Eating more calories and not getting enough exercise or physical activity results in the imbalance that causes overweight. The results of overweight and obesity can put a person at increased risks of many diseases and health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and others. The rise of overweight and obesity and the resulting health conditions has a dramatic effect on health insurance costs around the U.S. It is estimated that overweight and obesity health related medical costs have reached an all time high of $75.8 billion per year (www.cdc.gov), a cost which is being passed onto employers and healthy employees.
From Atlanta, Georgia to Des Moines, Iowa to Sacramento, California, RRCA members are hosting a wide variety of Run@Work Day events. Even if your workplace does not have an event planned, you can participate with everyone around the country by dedicating 35 minutes in your schedule to take a walk with a friend or a jog around the office park.
The RRCA is the national association of running clubs, running events, and runners. The mission of the RRCA is to promote long distance grassroots running as a competitive sport and healthful exercise. The RRCA achieves their mission by promoting the common interests of its members by providing educational opportunities, programs, and services. The organization’s membership consists of over 700 running clubs and events which comprise over 125,000 household in the US.
For information about the RRCA, visit RRCA.org.
|
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
