The Western Cape’s Walk4Health pilot challenge, to promote healthy lifestyles in the province through increased physical activity and healthy eating, has reached the halfway mark and the teams are challenging each other to greater heights more than ever.
After week three, the teams from the departments of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Education and Local Government are at the top of the leader board (the Department of Education has been at the top of the leader board since week one of the challenge).
In the individual challenge, the ranking is not based on the total steps achieved, but on the percentage of steps achieved beyond their personal weekly targets. The top three individual performers are announced weekly.
Theuns Botha, Western Cape Minister of Health, said: “Through the Walk4Health initiative, the department wants to move away from treating illness and disease to prevention, promotion and wellness. This is in keeping with the World Health Organisation’s definition of health being not merely the absence of disease but a complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. It’s about fulfilling one’s full potential in life.”
The pilot project was endorsed by the Provincial Cabinet and entails a six-week interdepartmental pedometer challenge, which started on 4 October, involving all departments within Western Cape Government. Each of these departments is represented by a four-member team comprising the Premier or the respective minister, head of department or senior manager, an employee and an intern.
Prior to the start of the challenge, each participant completed a confidential health and physical assessment. The assessment included Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, blood glucose resting pulse and a 12-minute motion test conducted by experts at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA). Based on the results, each team member was prescribed individualised weekly steps targets, which are stretched incrementally every week during the challenge.
Team members were also provided with pedometers to wear on a daily basis to count their steps and help them achieve their respective personalised step targets. The readings are recorded and points awarded accordingly – one point is awarded when reaching a personal target and a bonus point is granted when adequately stretching beyond the target.
The team-challenge is ending on 3 November with the SSISA -driven Move for Your Health fun walk in Rondebosch, but the individual challenge will end on 15 November 2013. A confidential post-challenge health and physical assessment will be conducted again by the SSISA experts – so giving each participant an updated health profile on the e|Care portal.
Follow @Walk4HealthWC on Twitter for all the latest inside scoop.
Additional Information
Angelique Jordaan
Communications Officer: Head Office
Western Cape Government Health
Tel: 021 483 3563
E-mail: Angelique.Jordaan@westerncape.gov.za