Polk County Health Council members hope to have local citizens running and walking towards health instead of running away from chronic diseases. One way the Health Council plans to accomplish this is with the Ocoee Run for Health on Saturday, Dec. 6.
There will be three divisions: a 5k run, a 5k walk, and a 1 mile walk and all participants will receive T-shirts to celebrate the decision to improve their health by being more active. For the 5k run, cash prizes range from $75 to $150. For more information about age categories, prizes, and registration information, see www.ocoeerunforhealth.com.
Polk County Health Council decided to hold the Run for Health with the tobacco lawsuit settlement money they received this year. According to Donna Calhoun, chairperson of the Polk County Health Council, “We hope to change the statistics on smoking in Polk County by encouraging healthy habits.”
The most recent statistics for Polk County show that 23.1 percent of the prenatal patients during the years 2010-2012 were current smokers at the time of their pregnancy. Twenty-nine percent of all adults in Polk County are current smokers. During the 2010-2011 school year, 19.2 percent of eighth grade students reported smoking a cigarette on one or more days in the current month.
According to Ms. Calhoun, “This puts Polk County residents at risk for many serious health conditions including cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and low birth- weight, premature babies.”
Employees who smoke cost their employers an average of $5,816 each year in lost productivity, absenteeism, and higher healthcare costs, said officials.
Polk County has many outdoor areas for hiking, swimming, and other outdoor activities and the Health Council hopes to encourage local residents to be outside and active by sponsoring the Run for Health.
For more information on the run or to register, call U.T. Extension at 338-4503 or the Polk County Health Department at 338-4533 in Benton or 496-3275 in Copper Basin or go to www.ocoeerunforhealth.com.