The Aspetar Healthy Lifestyle Programme (HLP) will provide members with pedometers upgraded from the 2013-2014 season that now include calorie intake and sleep patterns, a mobile health application and website that employ features to better control physical activity performance, as well as more social media communication to allow greater interaction between members.
The programme’s goal is to help participants walk at least 10,000 steps a day, the equivalent of five miles, in a non-competitive, recreational and social way, and is designed for everyone aged 16 years and above of all fitness levels.
Step Into Health (SIH) has been initiated by Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) under the supervision and management of the Aspetar HLP. The programme promotes the concept of holistic health change to engage the people of Qatar in a self-managed lifelong programme based on a moderate amount of daily physical activity.
Dr Mohamed Ghaith al-Kuwari, director of HLP at Aspetar, said: “Our aim for this season is to provide technology channels to serve as a nationwide health and fitness platform to promote a healthy lifestyle and create awareness in the Qatar community. The SIH 2014-2015 season will also provide the people of Qatar with guidelines in the key areas of physical activity and nutrition, keeping them motivated and goal-directed while still maintaining an element of fun and sociability.”
So far, registered participants for this year number above 36,000, which means an anticipated number of steps totalling more than 11bn, which is around 8mn km. The number of participating campuses has increased to 13, and 14 organisations have also joined the programme.
Abdulla Saeed al-Mohannadi, Aspetar’s Health Promotion researcher, added: “We have several new exciting features for the 2014-2015 season that will allow you to monitor your overall health.”
Aspetar has worked closely with different experts to ensure that these new features offer a wide range of food and exercise based on scientific resources and research, and have tried to relate the food and activity database to the region’s culture by adding Arabic and GCC food.
The database will be updated and improved regularly by both members’ and experts’ suggestions.
To be part of the programme, one has to register online at www.stepintohealth.qa or instal the Step Into Health application on the mobile phone and register from there. AZF provides free online assistance and support to analyse one’s results and answer any questions s/he may have.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank RasGas for sponsoring our programme for another year, the success of which could not have been achieved without their remarkable support toward community health and responsibilities,” according to a statement.
Dr Mohamed Ghaith al-Kuwari
