This Sunday, over 4000 people will accumulate at the JVPD Ground, Juhu in Mumbai for a walkathon. To attract people from all segments the event will feature three categories – 10km Pro Walk, 5km Family Walk and 3km Fun Walk. The walkathon is generating buzz as nutrition brand Fast&Up has signed up to become the title sponsor for the event.
The walkathon is being spearheaded by JustWalkIndia. JustWalkIndia is an initiative that promotes walking. It promotes walking not just as a physical activity but it also celebrates the walker, building community connection while simultaneously sending out the message of a healthier lifestyle.
As walking gains more attention, it comes at a time when obesity is emerging as a pressing health concern in India. Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi has flagged the impeding obesity crisis in India. “Diseases linked to our lifestyle are posing a huge risk to our health today. Obesity is one of them because it is the root cause of many diseases,” Modi said in one of his recent speeches delivered at Silvassa.
Also Read: Did You Know These 5 Benefits Of Walking?
It was the second time in a space of a few days that the Prime Minister highlighted the problem of obesity in India. Before his speech in Silvassa, he spoke about the same in his flagship radio programme Mann Ki Baat. “One in every eight people today is troubled by the problem of obesity. Cases of obesity have doubled in the past years but what is even more worrying is that the problem of obesity has increased four-fold even among children… Excess weight or obesity gives rise to many kinds of problems and diseases,” he said.
To avert the danger people can simply start walking.
“Walking remains the simplest and yet the ultimate solution, addressing nearly every modern-day health problem and this event is aimed at popularising walking for fitness, community spirit and a healthier lifestyle.” said John Gloster, the head physiotherapist of Rajasthan Royals at the lunch of the event. He believes that walking helps in improving bone health, cognitive health, metabolic health, obesity and combat diabetes.
Mumbai is already the hub of Asia’s biggest marathon, the Tata Mumbai Marathon. This year the marathon celebrated its 20th edition with close to 65,000 participants, across on-ground and virtual categories. The organisers of the marathon have tried to make it all-inclusive by having categories like full marathon, half marathon, Open 10K, Dream Run, Senior Citizens Run, and the Champions with Disability category. But participating in a marathon is not possible for everyone. This is where walkathon can fill the void.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Prakhar Sachdeo.
