On April 29, 2009, more than 1,800 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees put on their walking shoes and headed out toward the National Mall. Held at HHS headquarters, the third National Walk@Lunch Day – co-sponsored by Federal Occupational Health and the BlueCross/BlueShield Association – demonstrated how easy it is to incorporate physical activity into the work day. National Walk@Lunch Day was sponsored nationwide in all 50 states and Puerto Rico in order to promote the benefits of walking.

The event’s keynote speaker, Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., who is also serving as Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, launched the one-mile walk with opening remarks in the Great Hall of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building. RADM Galson encouraged participants to include at least two and half hours a week of moderate physical activity – the amount of activity recommended for adults in the HHS publication 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to achieve long-term health benefits and lower their risk of developing many chronic diseases. Other speakers at the event included U.S. Congressional members and Fitness Caucus co-chairs Representatives Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) and Zach Wamp (R-TN); Dominique Dawes, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist; as well as representatives from the BlueCross/BlueShield Association.

“We want to support healthy lifestyles for our federal employees, and there’s no better, more cost-effective way to achieve fitness than walking several times a week,” noted FOH Director Dr. Gene Migliaccio. Regular, brisk walking is one of the simplest and safest forms of physical exercise. By incorporating a 30-minute walk into your work day, you can reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes as well as maintain a healthy weight.

Key FOH staff, Captain Mark Delowery, Lieutenant Commander Sandra Magera, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Tracy Tilghman provided planning and logistics for this event, which supports the FOH mission—to improve the health, safety and productivity of the federal workforce. FOH accomplishes its mission by providing health prevention and occupational health services at its over 300 health clinics, 40 fitness centers, and 70 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offices throughout the nation.

Next year’s Walk@Lunch event is scheduled for April 28, 2010. Until then, remember to plan “walking lunches” throughout the year.