NWC encourages Iowans to participate in Healthiest State Walk

Iowans across the state have shown their support for the Healthiest State Initiative by the thousands — by the hundreds of thousands, actually.

Each year for the past three years, nearly 300,000 Iowans have participated in one kilometer walks to show that we’re ready for a healthier Iowa.

As we approach our fourth year, we need to help keep the momentum going and make this year’s walk the biggest one yet. Be part of the movement by walking one kilometer, a mere .62 miles at noon Wednesday.

Go to www.iowahealthieststate.com to join or create a team. Currently there are 10 registered walks in Newton. The walk time is noon, yet a walk can be completed any time on Oct. 8.

Returning this year is the Talk the Walk recruiting contest, a contest where people can receive Hy-Vee gift cards for recruiting others for their walks. For every person who is successfully recruited, both the recruiter and the recruitee will be entered into a drawing for one of several Hy-Vee gift cards.

For more details, go to the website and click on “Learn more about the Talk the Walk Contest.”

In 2011, Gov. Terry Branstad announced the plan to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation within five years as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

That year, Iowa ranked 16th compared to all other states, up from the 19th position in 2010. The state ranked tenth in 2013.

While progress has been made, there’s still work to do. Working with a team of experts, the Healthiest State Initiative has identified five priority areas most likely to improve the state’s ranking. The Focus Five priorities include:

• Decrease the number of Iowans who smoke.

• Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables to five or more servings daily at least four days a week.

• Increase the number of Iowans who are learning or doing something interesting every day.

• Increase the number of Iowans who have visited the dentist in the last 12 months.

• Increase the number of working Iowans who feel their boss treats them like a partner at work.

The Healthiest State Initiative is a privately led, public effort that engages Iowans and their communities throughout the state. It involves individuals, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, not-for-profits and the public sector in a broad-based community-focused effort.

For more information, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com.

The Newton Wellness Coalition is a local group here to assist Newton residents build a healthy community through awareness, advocacy and action.

For more information, log onto Facebook, or send an email to newtonwellnesscoalition@gmail.com.