GET UP, GET OUT and GET ACTIVE On National Health and Fitness Day, Saturday June 6th, 2020
Virtual Events Across Canada for National Health and Fitness Day
Ottawa, June 5, 2020 – This year Canadians can join virtual fitness events throughout the day to mark National Health and Fitness Day, Saturday June 6th. Physical activity not only helps us stay fit but it also helps reduce anxiety and builds our immune system which helps us cope during the Covid-19 pandemic.
National Health and Fitness Day is an initiative to make Canada the fittest nation on earth. The day provides an opportunity for municipalities and all citizens to celebrate and promote physical activity. The objective is to inspire Canadians to become fitter and more active which will result in reduced health care costs attributed to preventable diseases related to inactivity.
“With devices these days, kids sitting inside watching screens, all the sedentary behaviour associated with video games, we’ve been getting progressively less active and that has led to an epidemic of obesity. There is no silver bullet to fixing obesity, but we do know that regular exercise has a multitude of benefits. That’s why campaigns like this are so important.” said Olympic champion skier Nancy Greene, one of the leading voices behind NHFD.
Canadians are encouraged to get up, get out, and get activewhile maintain social distancing. In collaboration with many partners there will be a day full of virtual workouts, workshops and ways to be active on June 6th.
“In past years we’ve held events all over the country, and obviously we couldn’t do that this year. So we’ve taken everything online. Whether it’s Zumba or a boot camp or a yoga class, now everybody will be participating remotely,” said Pierre Lafontaine, chair of the NHFD.
In addition Canadians are challenged to post a photo or video on social media showing how they are getting out and getting active and share with #NHFD2020 #GetActiveCanada. Links to the events can be found on the NHFD website www.nhfdccan.ca.
About National Health and Fitness Day
After years of working with local community groups and national health promotion organizations to review ways of improving health and fitness in Canada, Senator Nancy Greene Raine saw passage of Bill S-211, the National Health and Fitness Day Act, in December 2014. The passage of the Bill creates a strong impetus towards bringing communities together every year on the first Saturday in June, to highlight the importance of health and fitness. Currently hundreds of municipalities across the country from coast to coast to coast have proclaimed the day and are planning to celebrate by encouraging people to get up, get out, and get active while following local public health guidelines.
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For more information please contact:
Sue Holloway
NHFD Project Coordinator
sue.holloway@rogers.com
www.nhfd.ca
613-286-3936