Walkers do a warm-up session at the Central Administration Building on Monday. The group gathered for the Ministry of Health and Social Development’s launch of the 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge. Photo: NGOVOU GYANG

The Virgin Islands may be ahead of its neighbours when it comes to economic development, but it also tops the charts when it comes to having a high rate of chronic non-communicable diseases.

Walkers do a warm-up session at the Central Administration Building on Monday. The group gathered for the Ministry of Health and Social Development’s launch of the 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge. Photo: NGOVOU GYANG
A Pan American Health Organisation survey conducted in the VI between 2006 and 2010 found that a relatively high number of adults in the territory are prone to such diseases because of unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Health officials hope to bring change. On Monday, nearly 50 residents gathered at the Central Administration Building to launch the 10,000 Steps a Day Challenge, a programme designed to encourage residents to walk daily for 12 weeks.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development hopes the initiative will decrease the occurrence of chronic non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Most of the participants on Monday had pedometers strapped to their wrists to count their steps. They bought the pedometers from the ministry, according to Ivy George, the ministry’s coordinator of health promotion services.

So far, about 425 people have registered to take part in the 12-week challenge, organisers said, adding that many of them are part of a larger group of their co-workers or friends.

See the March 19, 2015 edition for full coverage.

{fcomment}