National Walking Summit recap--talking to Congress about the importance of walking

This year the national first annual DC Walking Summit was kicked off by Kaiser Permanente, America Walks, and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative.

Researchers have discovered a “wonder drug” for many of today’s most common medical problems, Bob Sallis, MD, family practitioner, Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, Calif., told a packed room of leaders at the Every Body Walk! 2013 Walking Summit, held October 1–3, 2013 in Washington, D.C. “The drug is called walking,” Sallis announced. “Its generic name is physical activity.”

Increased levels of walking and physical activity can bring other social benefits too, said authorities from the fields of medicine, public health, education, community development, urban planning and social policy at the Walking Summit. The audience included more than 400 participants from 41 states and Canada representing 235 organizations from AARP, NAACP and the PGA Tour to Marriott Inc., the Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Health Department and Bike Walk Greenville (South Carolina). 

Every Body Walk! Collaborative

The summit was convened by Kaiser Permanente and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative in cooperation with America Walks, the American College of Sports Medicine, Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership, National League of Cities, PolicyLink, the LOCUS real estate developers network, Alliance for Biking and Walking, the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Girl Trek, and dozens of other organizations.