Health care agencies challenge everyone to get moving

HAYDEN - Washing floors and bathtubs, raking gardens and walking the dog can win residents of North Idaho prizes throughout the month of April if they do those activities enough.

In recognition of National Public Health Week April 7-12, Panhandle Health District, Kootenai Health and Heritage Health are kicking off the second annual Moving Minutes Challenge. The healthcare agencies are challenging people of all ages and abilities in the five northern counties to keep track of how many minutes they're physically active between April 7 and May 3 - four weeks.

"Our goal is to create an awareness of the many different physical activities that can be incorporated into our lives that can increase fitness levels and start to chip away at the increasing rates of obesity that we are seeing in the United States," said Lora Whalen, Panhandle Health District director. "As we head into summer in North Idaho, let's foster a good habit of exercise/physical activity in our daily routines."

Participants will turn in their weekly totals to PHD each Monday. People active for at least 150 minutes - the nationally-recommended amount for adults - per week will participate in drawings for prizes donated by community businesses and organizations. On Friday, May 9, PHD will award a trophy to the most physically active person or team in North Idaho.

"An active lifestyle plays an important role in the prevention or treatment of many chronic illnesses such as diabetes, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure, not to mention the positive impact it has in cases of chronic pain, anxiety and depression," said Dr. Joe Abate, chief medical officer at Heritage Health. "The human body is designed to move, not to stay still."

The Moving Minutes Challenge is free to all participants. People may register throughout March as a single or join together on a team. Challenges among individuals or businesses or groups are encouraged.

Time tracking will be on the honor system. The trophy will go to the person or team with the highest daily average of activity minutes for the month. PHD will help people accrue activity minutes by steering them to activities throughout the five northern counties.

On its website, www.phd1.idaho.gov/preventative/movingminutes.cfm, and on its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/iphd1, PHD will provide online registration for the event and printable time tracking sheets. Participants will report their weekly totals online or by phone, 415-5153.

PHD will post prize winners and challenges on its website and Facebook page. Both sites will feature progress reports of participants, photos, charts of calories burned per activity, encouragements, a calendar of public activities available, healthy living information and much more.

Registration, time tracking sheets, challenges and event details are available at the Moving Minutes Challenge page on the PHD website at www.phd1.idaho.gov/preventative/movingminutes.cfm.

Register by April 7 to be eligible for the first weekly prize drawing on Wednesday, April 16. Send questions to movingminutes@phd1.idaho.gov or call (208) 415-5153.