NCD Watch

Walk for Health

17 September 2024 (Tue)

Lack of physical activity is a major factor contributing to obesity, chronic diseases and premature deaths. Walking is a type of physical activity that confers multiple health benefits, including reduced risk of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers), enhanced mental well-being and increased longevity.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has long been working closely with various stakeholders in promoting physical activity participation. In view of walking being regarded as a practical and easy way to increase population’s level of physical activity, the Department of Health (DH) set up a multi-disciplinary Task Group on Promotion of Physical Activities in 2021 to advise on the planning and implementation of territory-wide social marketing campaign to promote walking. With an aim to urge members of the public to have an optimal ‘daily dose’ of walking for better health.

Taking into account available scientific evidence, overseas and international guidelines as well as the baseline daily step counts of local population, adults are recommended to gradually increase their daily step goal to 10 000 based on an individual’s own physical conditions, abilities, pace and circumstances. Any amount of walking is better than none, even if the goal cannot be reached yet. Those who are used to be sedentary or living with a chronic illness can start out with short distances and slow speeds, and then build up the walking distance and intensity gradually.

Walking is a great social activity that also helps reducing feelings of loneliness and enhancing quality of life. Let’s walk with friends, family members and colleagues and share the walking fun. The DH will continue using a variety of strategies to raise public awareness about the benefits of physical activity and work closely with relevant stakeholders and community partners in enabling members of the public to walk more.

Source: NCD Watch September 2024