UPnGO with ParticipACTION motivates people to be active every day
July 31, 2015 - Ottawa, ON - Public Health Agency of Canada
The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, today announced funding of over $2.5 million towards a pilot project to lower the risk of chronic disease and increase active, healthy living. Together with the Government of British Columbia, the UPnGO with ParticipACTIONprojectasks adults to take up the challenge to walk 30 minutes daily for 23 days, the length of time needed to develop new habits.
The Government of Canada is partnering with the Government of British Columbia, Public Inc., Dr. Mike Evans and the Evans Health Lab Team, Astra Zeneca, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and others to launch UPnGO with ParticipACTION, which will be rolled out in British Columbia and Ontario.
Dr. Mike Evans and the Evans Health Lab create innovative approaches that encourage people to adopt behaviours that promote healthy living and prevent chronic diseases. UPnGO with ParticipACTION, inspired by Dr. Evans’s successful internet video, “23.5 Hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?”, delivers a compelling message of the significant health benefits of walking 30 minutes daily.
Public Inc. will develop the technology and marketing approaches to encourage and reward inactive Canadians to “sit less and move more”, using a unique combination of digital and social media. The UPnGO with ParticipACTIONproject rewards changes in positive daily habits through on-going positive communication, recognition, and incentives for making and maintaining healthy behaviours such as walking.
The Government of British Columbia is partnering with ParticipACTION to highlight the importance of the need to increase physical activity rates in the province. Through this partnership, the British Columbia government and ParticipACTION are building on existing programs, in conjunction with other community-based partners, to make being physically active the easy choice for all .
Michael Bolkenius
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Public Health Agency of Canada
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