Walking To Work
Walking has enormous health benefits - It's easy on joints, it's good for the heart and mind; and the only equipment you need is a pair of shoes.
Walking to Work
Recent research has now shown that the air quality is poorer inside the car than out of it when driving in heavy traffic. In fact, car users suffer up to three times as much pollution as pedestrians.
The Regional Development Strategy 2025 aims to provide safe and environmentally attractive walking facilities in Northern Ireland.
This includes the development of a walking action plan for Northern Ireland to create more direct, safer, pedestrian friendly routes, particularly in and around town centres, traditional shopping streets, and local neighbourhoods, and improve pedestrian facilities on routes to bus stops, bus and rail stations. The walking action plan aims to include awareness of how accessible walking is and to highlight associated health benefits.
Walking Northern Ireland - An Action Plan 
(PDF, 9383Kb)
(PDF, 9383Kb)Regular Walking Can ...
- Reduce the risk of developing heart disease and strokes
- Help to prevent high blood pressure
- Help to control our weight
- Reduce stress
- Maintain good mental health
- …a relaxed body and mind will enhance our performance at work
- satisfy most people's healthy exercise requirement
Walking one mile in 20 minutes uses as much energy as ...
- Running a mile in 10 minutes
- Swimming breast stroke for 10 minutes
- Playing football for 12 minutes
- Cycling for 16 minutes
- Doing aerobics for 16 minutes
- Weight training for 17 minutes
...and walking is a lot
easier than any of those!
Ideally, to keep our hearts healthy, we should aim to use 2000 Kcal a week through
physical activity. These activity calories are accumulated throughout a week so every bit helps. Walking
a part, or all of the way to work, even once or twice a week, can make a real difference to your health.
Please use the chart to calculate your own energy use. For example, if you walk 1 mile you will burn,
depending on your weight, between 70-100 Kcal.
People who walk have reported:
- higher energy levels
- higher stamina levels
- reduced stress levels
- decreased levels of illness
- improved feeling of wellbeing
In particular walking helps:
- prevent osteoporosis
- reduce the risk of heart disease
- reduce the risk of certain cancers
Supporting the environment:
- Walking has no adverse effects on the environment.
- Walking is a real alternative to car use, and is sometimes ignored because public transport or cycling are more commonly encouraged.
- Cut down on traffic congestion and pollution.
- Road maintenance and car park space could be reduced if more people walked to work.
So
if you're looking for a way to get to work or back which:
- is totally adaptable to your own timetable,
- has no waiting in traffic jams,
- is flexible with no waiting for buses,
- supports the environment,
- allows time to look around and notice the changing seasons in the gardens along the way,
- is FREE
then walking
is the answer
For more information on walking and its benefits contact the Northern Ireland Health
Promotion Agency - www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/work/physical activity
