Centretown workplaces are gearing up to participate in the 10,000 step workplace challenge organized by Ottawa Public Health from Sept. 29 to Oct. 19 to promote physical activity.
“We want to encourage employees to be more physically active. More active employees are more productive and this influences the workplaces bottom line,” said Barbara Woodward a spokesperson for Ottawa Public Health.
The organization promotes physical activity in the workplace, because 51 per cent of Canadians are inactive, according to a Canadian Community Health survey.
“The majority of adults are in the workplace and because people are spending so much of their time there, these types of programs should be available,” she said.
According to Philippe Brideau, media relations advisor for the Public Health Agency of Canada, they have programs that promote physical activity initiatives in the workplace as well.
Workplaces with programs in place have fewer cases of absence, on the job injuries and accidents, as well as lower compensation, health care and life insurance costs, their website says.
This is the fourth year the challenge has been running but this year a new nutrition component has been added. Along with counting steps, using a pedometer provided by Ottawa Public Health, each member will also keep track of the number of servings they eat daily of fruit and vegetables.
“Studies show that 50 per cent of adults fall short of the sufficient threshold for vegetables and fruit so that’s why this year we’ve added that in,” Woodward said.
The challenge runs for 21 days and team members keep track of their points.
One thousand steps count as one point and each serving of fruit and vegetables count as one point. At the end of the challenge team leaders calculate the team’s points and a winner is determined.
This is the third year the Canadian Nurses Association has participated, one of the many Centretown workplaces competing for bragging rights.
“We’re a group of mostly women and we’re always concerned with our health. We’ve found the challenge to be one that all of us can enjoy,” Karin Noel said.
The association is hoping to improve its record. “Last year, we finished second so my motivation for the team this year is to finish first,” said Noel.
Woodward said any type and any size of workplace can compete. Teams consist of 10 people and each workplace can have as many as two teams.