Some of the participants in Saturday’s “Move Ya Body” event.
ANGUILLA–Hundreds of Anguillians determined to improve their fitness level and overall health poured into the Ronald Webster Park at 5:30 on Saturday morning, July 14, to participate in a mass “Move Ya Body” campaign that is fast gaining popularity on the island.
Participants of all ages and fitness levels participated in a two-hour session of challenging aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises led by six teams of instructors associated with five of the island’s popular gyms. Their routines were backed by music from three soca artists, making for a pre-carnival fun but challenging morning work-out. The event was sponsored by FLOW, Tropical Distributors and MASA Assist.
The Move Ya Body campaign is a collaborative effort of the government’s Ministries of Sport and of Health to address negative health indicator findings resulting from a two-year health survey sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization. The survey highlighted the main causes for the high rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the island, with one of the indicators being a high percentage of obesity. The Director of the Chronic Disease Unit, Twyla Bradshaw-Richardson said, “Anguilla is committed to decreasing mortality and morbidity caused by NCDs by 25 per cent by the year 2025. This goal will require a coordinated, collaborated and focused approach to include education focusing on a healthy diet and an exercise programme.”
In addition to Saturday’s fun exercise event, there is an ever-expanding combination of strategies to include road signs indicating safe exercise areas, scheduled exercise events throughout the island’s communities, as well as developing a website designed to focus on healthy recipes and other health-related issues.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78672-island-wide-fitness-activities-programme-to-improve-health
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