HUNDREDS OF CHICAGOANS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL START! WALKING DAY WITH RALLY AT DALEY PLAZA ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7 AT NOON

Bernie Salazar from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” to host the lively lunchtime rally

The American Heart Association is calling on Chicago-area residents to get out and walk for 30 minutes on National Start! Walking Day—Wednesday, April 7. Residents are invited to join hundreds of other participants at the National Start! Walking Day rally, which will begin at noon at Daley Plaza. This event, to be hosted by Bernie Salazar from NBC’s hit show “The Biggest Loser,” is one of more than 100 Start! rallies being held across the country on April 7.

Start! is the American Heart Association’s national campaign that encourages people to live longer, healthier lives through walking. Walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity, and just 30 minutes of walking per day can reduce risk of coronary disease, improve blood pressure and lower the risk of obesity, diabetes and several types of cancer.

Hundreds of Chicagoans are expected to leave the office on April 7 to take a 30-minute walk, ending at Daley Plaza for a lively lunch-time rally filled with music, entertainment and exercises. Bernie Salazar, the at-home winner of season five of NBC’s hit show “The Biggest Loser,” will be on-hand to lead the rally.

“Healthy lifestyle choices should be a community priority. Nearly 67 percent of Americans are overweight and are at risk for heart complications from sedentary lives,” said Scot Roskelley, communications director for the mid-America region of Aetna, a local Start! cause sponsor. “Walking just 30 minutes a day can make a big difference in your cardiovascular health.”

A person is 1.5 to 2.4 times more likely to have coronary heart disease if he or she is inactive, but walking vigorously for 30 minutes a day can help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Adults should get at least two and a half hours a week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Studies show that some adults may gain as many as two hours of life expectancy for each hour of regular, vigorous physical activity.

About Start!
Start! makes sticking to a walking plan easier than ever with FREE tools at http://www.startwalkingnow.org/, including:
Three customized walking programs (beginner, intermediate and advanced);
Online tracking tools to document calories consumed, steps taken and routes walked;
Sole-mates social networking capabilities to find and support like-minded walkers;
A grocery list builder and heart-healthy recipes; Downloadable seasonal walking guides with tips to maintain a routine regardless of weather; Start! walking videos, produced in collaboration with ExerciseTV, making an at-home workout easier with tips and motivation; Start! social media daily walking guide with daily walking guides, inspirational messages, heart-health tip of the day, video content from Exercise TV, community chat capability and a private journal.

Start! is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY® Restaurants, and locally by Aetna, Meijer and Schneider Electric. For more information, visit www.americanheart.org/startchicago.

About the American Heart Association
Founded in 1924, we’re the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases — America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers — we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.