Residents kick off Ministry of Health and Social Development Fitness Movement Challenge. Photo: BVIOC
Residents joined in the start of the Ministry of Health and Social Development Fitness Movement Challenge on Monday which kicked off with a walk from the Central Administration Building to ZBVI and back.
Programme Coordinator, Mr. Jason Rubaine has appealed for maximum participation in the 10,000 step programme as chronic diseases continue to be a problem for individuals and the society on a whole.
“With this VI run/walk programme, we seek to inspire persons within the Territory to increase physical activity in an effort to reduce their vulnerability to non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some cancers,” said Mr. Rubaine.
The Programme Coordinator also urged businesses, community groups, Government and churches to form groups and join the movement. He said families are encouraged to rally the troops and join the movement, and communities are asked to unite in solidarity and be each other’s keeper as they forge towards becoming a healthier Virgin Islands through the movement.
A group can have a minimum of five people with a designated leader and must be committed to walking a minimum of three days per week for 60 minutes or more, or walk five days per week for a minimum of 30 minutes or more.
The 10,000 step programme is also open to individual walkers.
The 10,000 steps per day programme aims to increase the day to day physical activity level for adults by encouraging the accumulation of physical activity as part of everyday living.
The VI run/walk programme is a collaborative effort between the Ministry Health and Social Development, the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports and the BVI Olympic Committee.
