Page 150 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2015

HEALTHY LIVING walk this way
2015
HEART WALK
October 3 Gulf Coast 2015 Heart Walk akes place at MGM Park
tThe Gulf Coast 2015 Heart Walk is getting a change of venue. With the theme Timeout for Heart Disease, the walk takes place at MGM Park, home of the Biloxi Shuckers,
story by
Lynn Lofton
According to the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, Mississippi has the highest
death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country. Heart disease is the
number one killer and stroke is the number five killer in Mississippi.
The percentage of adults with heart disease risk factors in Mississippi is higher than the
percentage for the country as a whole. Adults who are current
smokers in Mississippi is 26 percent compared to 21 percent in the U.S.
Adults who participate in 150+ minutes of aerobic physical activity per week is 40
percent in Mississippi and is 51.6 percent in the U.S. Adults who are overweight or obese in
Mississippi is 68.9 percent of the population and 63.5 percent in the U.S.
on October 3. Festivities begin
at 7:30 a.m. and the non- competitive walk begins at 9 a.m.
Sponsors are Yates Construction and IP Casino Resort Spa.
“We changed the venue to create
some added excitement,” said Christin
LeBoeuf, vice president of development
for the American Heart Association’s
Greater Southeast Affiliate. “It promises to be
a fun-filled morning as we gather in the stadium and walk through beautiful downtown Biloxi.”
Duncan McKenzie, vice president and general manager of IP Casino Resort Spa, is serving as chairman of this year’s Heart Walk. “I’ve been involved with the Heart Association for a long time and believe they’ve done a really great job with preventative measures;
I want to help them,” he said. “I think everyone’s health care is important.”
The IP leader says the company is
having a big weight loss competition
and will have lots of team members participating in the Heart Walk.
Walking from the IP to the Shuckers
stadium will make it even better. A
previous weight loss challenge winner, McKenzie is encouraging everyone to walk and quipped, “I have no heart problem but I have a weight problem.”
Gulf Coast 2015 Heart Walk
October 3, 2015 MGM Park, Biloxi 228.604.5302 www.heart.org
150 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • September 2015
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