2008-11-11 20:55:01 -

www.azblue.com - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Regena Frieden, 602-864-4046 M: 602-568-3716 rfrieden@phx1.bcbsaz.com or Carlos DellaMaddalena, 602-864-4067 M: 602-316-8500 cdellama@phx1.bcbsaz.com or Renee Hunt, 602-864-5182 M: 602-920-9487 rhunt@phx1.bcbsaz.com Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is stepping up its efforts to encourage Arizona youth to be more physically active through walking by introducing a bigger and better version of its popular

Walk On! program for 2009.

Walk On! is an innovative school-based activity program designed to motivate kids in grades K-8 statewide to incorporate exercise into their daily routines throughout the school year. The Walk On! Challenge component of the program challenges fifth graders statewide to compete for prizes by completing 10,000 steps every day in February. 2009 will mark the successful program's fourth year.

Since its inception, BCBSAZ has distributed nearly 86,000 Walk On! tool kits containing free pedometers to Arizona fifth-grade classrooms. More than 24,000 participants have completed the Walk On! Challenge, logging a combined 7.6 billion steps - the equivalent distance of walking around the earth 145 times or walking to the moon and back 7 1/2 times.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three children are either overweight or at risk for becoming overweight, and the rate of obesity among children 6 to 11 years old more than tripled between 1976 and 2004. Arizona ranks 25th among states with the highest incidences of childhood obesity, according to the Child Policy Health Center.(1)

"Physical activity is a key component of weight management and health and fitness for children. We are thrilled that the Walk On! program has generated so much interest among educators and students and are proud to offer this program as a means to increase exercise among students at school and at home," said Richard Boals, president and chief executive officer of BCBSAZ.

Participation in the Walk On! program has increased rapidly since its inception in 2006. In its first year, more than 3,000 students completed the Walk On! Challenge. In 2007, more than 10,000 participated, and more than 11,000 participated in 2008.

For 2009, BCBSAZ has enhanced the Walk On! Challenge to inspire even more Arizona fifth graders around the state to walk. Enhancements include more incentives for participants and easier reporting for teachers.

During the month-long challenge fifth-grade students will track their progress through the use of their pedometers and classroom posters. Those who complete all 10,000 steps every day for the month will be eligible to win one of 40 iPod(R) Shuffles, and four lucky fifth-grade students will take home a Wii Fit(TM) game console. In addition, one top-performing school will be given a $2,500 grant to be used toward a fitness-orientated activity or field trip.

Beginning Nov. 10, school principals and fifth-grade teachers across the state will receive information about how to get involved in the Walk On! program. Arizona principals and teachers interested in requesting Walk On! resources in both English and Spanish for their students can visit azblue.com/walkon or call 602-864-5236 or 800-528-0716, ext. 5236, for more information.

In addition, K-8 educators can visit azblue.com/walkon for resources and support materials that encourage students to be more active throughout the school year.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is the largest Arizona-based health insurance company. The not-for-profit company was founded in 1939 and provides health insurance products, services or networks to nearly 1.3 million individuals. With offices in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tempe and Tucson, the company employs more than 1,500 Arizonans. For information about BCBSAZ and its HealthyBlue program, an integrated program of tools, resources and services that can help Arizonans live a healthier lifestyle, visit azblue.com/HealthyBlue.

(1) nschdata.org/Viewdocument.aspx?item=201

Arizona Students Challenged to Walk 10,000 Steps Every Day in
February in Effort to Combat Childhood Obesity