YMCA's Activate America(R) Motivates More Than 1.3 Million People to Take 8 Billion Steps Toward a Healthier Lifestyle During 'America On the Move Week with...( More Than 1500 YMCAs Get Their Commu...),Health

More Than 1,500 YMCAs Get Their Communities Moving During Week-Long Event;

YMCAs Aim to Keep Communities Active Year-Round

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- YMCAs nationwide want the 8 billion small steps logged during "America On the Move Week with the YMCA" to inspire a giant leap in communities' ongoing commitments to healthier lifestyles.

More than 1,500 YMCAs nationwide reached out to their communities to promote active living and healthy eating during "America On the Move Week with the YMCA," September 22-29, motivating 1.3 million participants to take 8 billion steps in communities big and small. The campaign, in partnership with the America On the Move(R) Foundation, aims to educate and motivate people to make two small daily changes -- add 2,000 steps and eat 100 fewer calories -- that will add up to significant long-term health benefits.

"America On the Move Week with the YMCA provided a great catalyst for change in the communities we serve," said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA. "The results are encouraging, but we're still striving for the ultimate goal to make living an active and healthy lifestyle an every day, every week, commitment."

America On the Move Week with the YMCA is part of Activate America(R), the YMCA's response to our nation's lifestyle health crisis. Through Activate America, YMCAs are redefining themselves and engaging communities across the country to provide better opportunities for Americans of all ages who are struggling to achieve and maintain well-being of spirit, mind and body.

A recent national poll by the America On the Move Foundation indicates that even though obesity is on the rise, efforts by Americans to lose weight might be stalling. The lack of a positive support network may be a factor for many. Only 40 percent of those polled said their immediate family members encourage them to eat healthy and nutritious foods, and only 16 percent said their close
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