The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that engaging in regular exercise is one of the best ways to promote a healthy lifestyle. The WHO Officer in –Charge, Nigeria, Dr. Clement Peter, who made this disclosure during the second edition of the Abuja Walk the Talk with the theme: “The health for all challenge” said that regular exercise can help prevent many diseases. While calling on Nigerians to imbibe the habit of regular exercise, he said that the Abuja Walk the Talk is organised with the aim of creating awareness about universal health coverage.

According to Dr Peter, the Walk the Talk is also part of the activities for the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting coming up in New York on September 23. He said that the first edition of the Walk the Talk which took place on May 18, 2018, had about 2, 000 participants. While applauding those who participated in the walk, he said that “what we need to do is to make sure that we sustain this walk and make sure that it is something that we can do monthly. This will make us to live healthy in this country.”

 

On her part, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, wife of the former president of the Senate outlined several benefits of regular exercise to include, weight loss and reducing the risk of heart disease amongst others. “Regular exercise curbs diabetes, heart disease, obesity and it generally makes you feel much better,” she said. While calling on Nigerians to adopt the habit of regular exercise, she added that she is happy to be part of the WHO Walk the Talk program.

 

“I am really happy to be here for the second edition of Abuja walk the talk in conjunction with the WHO, the federal ministry of health and the wellbeing foundation Africa. “This has been an extremely successful edition. Last year, we had over 4, 000 and this year I think we have about 6, 500. The challenge is to make everybody aware of the benefits of regular exercise to their health. We advise that everybody should walk at least 35 minutes three times a week,” she added.