Be Active North Carolina program promotes healthy lifestyles
Need additional motivation to work off holiday pounds? Sign up for the Be Active Challenge, a statewide program that encourages North Carolinians to develop healthy and active lifestyles. Last year, the inaugural program exceeded goals with more than 1,300 participants, 190 teams and a total of nearly 4.4 million minutes exercised.
This year, the Be Active Challenge runs from March 6– June 16. 26 FEBRUARY 2006 Carolina Country
How does it work? North Carolinians can sign up to participate in teams of 2–10 people. These teams then engage in friendly competition to monitor time spent doing physical activities. Almost any form of movement counts—from walking and grocery shopping to lifting weights and gardening. Each team’s goal is to log the greatest number of total team minutes. For the challenge as a whole, the cumulative goal is to record six million minutes statewide before the deadline.
Why “Be Active?” Inactivity and poor nutrition are having a disastrous impact on the health of North Carolinians. During the last decade, North Carolina has experienced one of the fastestgrowing rates of adult obesity in the nation. More than half of all adult North Carolinians (59 percent) are overweight or obese.
Are awards given out? Participants receive weekly e-mail health and exercise tips, recipes and a Be Active Challenge T-shirt for motivation along the way to improved, healthier lifestyles. Weekly contests offer additional motivation with prizes such as discount coupons, gift certificates and fitness accessories. Be Active Challenge leader boards will be posted weekly at beactivechallenge.org so that participants can track their physical activity and success.
■ Obesity is second only to tobacco use as the nation’s leading cause of preventable death.
How do I get started? Form a team, select a captain, and resolve to improve your health by increasing your regular physical activity. Registration runs from January 3 through March 6. Captains can enter their teams in the challenge by downloading a form at http://ncsports.org/luncsub.php?m3 How much does it cost to participate? The registration fee is $10 per person. The team captain can send a check or money order in with the registration information.
■ Many of the leading causes of death across the state are attributed to chronic diseases, which are preventable and directly related to lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and nutrition.
■ The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health states that people who are physically active manage stress better, sleep better and generally feel better. Other benefits of physical activity may include more energy, healthy weight control and reduced risk for many diseases.
“In our fast-paced lives, the Be Active Challenge is an innovative way of incorporating exercise and healthy lifestyle into our daily routines,” said Chuck Hobgood, president of NCAS. “We’re excited about building the program in 2006.” The Be Active Challenge is organized by North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS) in partnership with Be Active North Carolina. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina serves as presenting sponsor. Other contributing sponsors and partners include McDonald’s, REI outdoor stores and Brand Fuel Promotions.
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