Blue Cross and Blue Shield Companies To Host Fourth Annual National Walk@Lunch Day(R) on April 28, 2010

WASHINGTON, March 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies will once again host lunchtime walking events across the country on April 28, 2010, as part of the fourth annual National Walk@Lunch Day®.  Each Blue company will rally its employees to participate in walking events during lunch, and will work with local employers to engage their workforces in lunchtime walks as well.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) created National Walk@Lunch Day to encourage Americans to increase their level of daily physical activity by simply incorporating a brisk walk into their daily lunch break at work.  Recognizing that most Americans' schedules are based around the workday, National Walk@Lunch Day is designed to fit into -- not compete with -- their daily schedules.  The hope is that National Walk@Lunch Day will prompt many participants to make lunchtime walks a regular habit.

Last year, the 39 independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies held walking events in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  Tens of thousands of Blue employees, customers and community leaders took a half hour out of their workday to go for a walk.

"Blues Cross and Blue Shield companies are committed to offering programs like National Walk@Lunch Day that help improve the health and wellness of individuals across America," said Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and CEO.  "At a time when there is a significant rise in childhood obesity, National Walk@Lunch Day provides an opportunity for our customers, employers and employees to set an example for our children by incorporating some exercise into their daily workday.  An increase in physical activity not only helps improve people's health today; it also protects against serious health problems in the future, and helps control our nation's rising healthcare costs."

National Walk@Lunch Day is a component of WalkingWorks®, a Blue company program developed in 2002 with the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

For more information, or to find a National Walk@Lunch Day activity in your community, please visit http://www.bcbs.com/innovations/walkingworks/national-walklunch-day.html.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage more than 100 million members -- one-in-three of all Americans.  For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.

SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association