STRIDE Hosts Presentation on Physical Activity in Public Health
During fall quarter, Gregory Heath, Guerry professor of health and human performance and assistant provost for research and engagement at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, spoke to faculty and students on the importance of physical activity for public health. Heath's work has been published in The Lancet, an international medical journal.
Heath reported that 6-10 percent of the world's major non-communicable diseases are attributable to inactivity. Through exercise, approximately 75.3 million deaths per year could be prevented.
According to Heath's research, adults need a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week to see gains in coronary and cardiovascular health. Adolescents need an hour a day. Seventy-five minutes of the week's physical activity should be vigorous.
"It's important to remember the quality of physical activity versus the quantity," Heath said.
Heath stressed the importance of active transportation — riding a bike or walking — as a method of incorporating physical activity into a lifestyle. Wider sidewalks, street beautification, and connectivity between neighborhoods, stores and other destination points are strategies that cities, including San Luis Obispo, increasingly use to encourage people to be active.
College is a good time to put healthy habits in place, according to Heath. "I think every college student should strive for building a habit early on so that when you graduate, you can continue that," he said.
STRIDE works to help students and community members establish the type of healthy, active lifestyles suggested by Heath's research. Health Ambassadors share the benefits of regular physical activity and a healthy diet, and the Assessment Team provides cardiovascular and diabetes risk assessment services, partnering with hospitals and public health agencies at area health fairs.
STRIDE is also part of the Healthy Communities Workgroup, a subset of the Healthy Eating Active Living, San Luis Obisipo (HEAL- SLO) coalition that works with County Planning and Building to review proposed projects for their potential impact on health.