Ali to Join Americans Across Country in National Start! Walking Day

DALLAS, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Laila Ali, world champion athlete and former professional boxer, is encouraging people to walk 30 minutes today as part of National Start! Walking Day.

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From coast to coast, Americans will lace up their sneakers and take steps -- literally -- to increase physical activity when they participate in today's events.

National Start! Walking Day, in its fourth year -- including more than 3.2 million people representing about 1,300 companies -- is sponsored by the American Heart Association as part of its Start! initiative.  Start! champions walking because it has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.  The association conducts the National Start! Walking Day primarily in the workplace because jobs are becoming increasingly sedentary and Americans are working 164 more hours per year than 20 years ago.

Ali is a natural choice of spokesperson for the American Heart Association. "I've always been interested in health and wellness, and I am honored to work with the American Heart Association, an organization dedicated to preventing heart disease," said Ali, whose family has a history of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. "As a working mother, I have to fit my workouts in when I can."

In January, the American Heart Association identified physical activity as one of seven key factors to achieve ideal cardiovascular health as part of its new 2020 goal to improve cardiovascular health and reduce deaths.

According to a recent American Heart Association study, only 15 percent of American adults achieve the association's recommended levels of moderate aerobic exercise, 30 minutes a day for five days a week.

"The importance of regular physical activity cannot be overstated," said Clyde Yancy, M.D., president of the American Heart Association.  "Our latest research demonstrates that 70 percent of American adults report being told by a healthcare professional to make a lifestyle change and 33 percent of those were told to exercise more. Simply put, we all need to get up and do more."

The American Heart Association recommends that all adults avoid inactivity. Walking vigorously for as little as 30 minutes, preferably most days of the week, can promote weight loss, decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the association said. Additional benefits occur as the amount and intensity of physical activity increases. Some adults also may gain up to two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular, vigorous physical activity, such as very brisk walking.

The American Heart Association's robust Web site -- startwalkingnow.org -- includes strategies to help people get started and stay on a physical activity regimen. They include:

• Local walking paths. To find one near you, visit startwalkingnow.org.
• Three customized walking programs (beginner, intermediate and advanced)
• Online tracking tools to document calories consumed, steps taken and routes walked
• Sole mates social networking capabilities to find and support like-minded walkers
• Downloadable seasonal walking guides with tips to maintain a routine regardless of weather
• Walking videos, produced in collaboration with ExerciseTV, that make an at-home workout easier with tips and motivation
• Social media daily walking guide with inspirational messages, heart-health tips of the day, video content from Exercise TV, community chat capability and a private journal

Start! is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY® Restaurants. For more information, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit startwalkingnow.org.

About the American Heart Association

Founded in 1924, we're the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases -- America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers -- we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

SOURCE American Heart Association