Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and Monroe County recently unveiled the new American Heart Association designated walking paths in Mendon Ponds Park at Quaker Pond Trail Loop and Nature Trail Birdsong and Swamp Trail.
A dedication ceremony was recently held in celebration of the new walking paths. Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo; Christopher Booth, CEO, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield; and Tim Malins, Rochester American Heart Association board president and cardiologist, director of Sands-Constellation Heart Institute of the Finger Lakes Rochester Regional Health, were in attendance.
The establishment of the walking paths is the American Heart Association’s national initiative that champions walking because it has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. The Quaker Pond Trail Loop is 2.7 miles long. Two other Monroe County paths include Ellison Park’s Indian Landing Trail, which is 1.5 miles long, and Overlook Trail, which is .6 miles.
There are 30 American Heart Association walking paths at parks, towns, schools and workplaces throughout Monroe County, many of which are sponsored by Excellus BCBS.
“Not all American adults achieve the association’s recommended levels of moderate aerobic exercise 150 or more minutes per week,” said Malins. “The walking path initiative encourages all Americans to get started on a regular walking program as a way to achieve their physical activity goals and to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.”
In the six-county Finger Lakes region, about two in three adults are either overweight or obese, according to a 2015 report by Excellus BCBS. New York state’s adult obesity rate is also on pace to hit 50 percent by 2030, according to the report.
Date: September 13, 2016