The National Physical Activity Plan
The GO the EXTRA MILE Initiative: Mission and Goal
NIHB’s yearly goal is to encourage every NIHB employee to walk a mile every day (an additional mile separate from daily routine) for a year. With 13 employees, the minimum yearly walking goal NIHB is aiming to achieve is 4,745 miles. With these aggregated miles, NIHB will “virtually” walk to all Area Indian Health Boards and the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (Bemidji Area). The idea is to provide encouragement to Tribes and Tribal organizations to GO the EXTRA MILE. Together, we can help transform our Tribal nation’s overall health and wellbeing. NIHB would like other organizations to partake in the GO the EXTRA MILE initiative by encouraging their Executive Directors and CEO’s to personally commit to fostering a physically active work environment by signing the CEO Pledge and implementing a supportive program for employees to follow suit. Each employee will commit with the CEO by vowing to walk a mile each day for a year. With the help of NIHB’s GO the EXTRA MILE Toolkit, every organization has the opportunity to virtually walk to their represented groups on our virtual map, encouraging others to walk the journey along the way.
To read NIHB’s Executive Director, Stacy A. Bohlen’s letter to Tribal Representatives to join the initiative, please CLICK HERE.
Make a Commitment Today to Promote Physical Activity in Indian Country!
The National Physical Activity Plan, the first, national comprehensive plan to support and encourage physical activity among all Americans, was launched in 2010 through a 10 month collaboration between experts from various, diverse fields. The plan comprises a wide range of public policy recommendations across eight broad sectors. Through the National Physical Activity Plan, hundreds of organizations are working together to change our communities in ways that will enable every American to be physically active. Its ultimate purpose is to improve health, prevent disease and disability, and enhance quality of life.
To learn about the National Physical Activity Plan, visit its website by CLICKING HERE.
The CEO Pledge
The National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) is a 501(c)(4) tax exempt organization that is leading the implementation of the National Physical Activity Plan at the national level through The CEO Pledge, which encourages every CEO in the United States to recognize physical activity as an important driver of employee health. Studies of employee wellness programs consistently find that executive leadership is critical to employee engagement. If employees believe that creating a culture of physical activity is an executive priority, employees are more likely to be physically active.
The CEO Pledge states:
“For the betterment of my company, our employees, their families, and our country, I pledge to improve employee health and wellness by providing opportunities and resources for physical activity before, during or after the workday, and to enhance my own health and wellness by engaging in regular physical activity.”
For more information about the CEO Pledge, visit the National Coalition of Promoting Physical Activity’s website by CLICKING HERE.
Why Should Indian Country Care About Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace?
There is a strong correlation between obesity and diabetes—more than 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. With diabetes and obesity on the rise, every organization in the United States has an obligation and responsibility to lead its community to a healthier future. Nowhere is this need more urgent than in Indian Country. At nearly 16.1%, American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest age-adjusted prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among all U.S. racial and ethnic groups. The obesity rate, which is determined by having a body max index (BMI) of 30 or greater, is 39% for AI/AN 18 and older. Among AI/AN adults 18 and older, the percentage of inactive physical activity in 2010 was 53.9%, which did not meet federal physical activity guidelines (at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, i.e., brisk walking a day).
The NIHB recognizes this urgent need to advocate for physical activity as a preventive measure against chronic diseases. NIHB would like to welcome Executive Directors from Area Indian Health Boards, Tribes, and other Tribal organizations to join NIHB in recognizing this urgent need by signing the CEO Pledge and Go the EXTRA MILE.
The GO the EXTRA MILE Initiative: Mission and Goal
NIHB’s yearly goal is to encourage every NIHB employee to walk a mile every day (an additional mile separate from daily routine) for a year. With 13 employees, the minimum yearly walking goal NIHB is aiming to achieve is 4,745 miles. With these aggregated miles, NIHB will “virtually” walk to all Area Indian Health Boards and the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (Bemidji Area). The idea is to provide encouragement to Tribes and Tribal organizations to GO the EXTRA MILE. Together, we can help transform our Tribal nation’s overall health and wellbeing.
NIHB would like other organizations to partake in the GO the EXTRA MILE initiative by encouraging their Executive Directors and CEO’s to personally commit to fostering a physically active work environment by signing the CEO Pledge and implementing a supportive program for employees to follow suit. Each employee will commit with the CEO by vowing to walk a mile each day for a year. With the help of NIHB’s GO the EXTRA MILE Toolkit, every organization has the opportunity to virtually walk to their represented groups on our virtual map, encouraging others to walk the journey along the way.
Make a Commitment Today to Promote Physical Activity in Indian Country!