For Immediate Release May 16, 2005

For More Information Contact: Diane Brown, 317-274-7711 habrown@iupui.edu

IUPUI Teams Take 10,000-Steps Challenge

10,000-Steps Walkers.

INDIANAPOLIS - During National Public Health Week last month, people on the IUPUI campus were challenged to put together a walking team and count the number of steps they took during the week. With pedometers in place, 19 teams stepped out to accept the challenge.

The winner of the team challenge, with the best average number of steps, was the Career Center team of (left to right) Donna Kissel, Tiffany Fox, Brenda Earl and Stephanie Braun, with an average of 88,316 steps per person. The best individual score was earned by Traci Adams of the IU Dental School with 129,186 steps.

Besides the Career Center, University Library; the School of Public and Environmental Affairs; The IU Department of Public Health; the IU Dental School, which had 10 teams; Human Resources Administration, health law/bioethics; the Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication; and medical education and curricular affairs /medical ethics, fielded teams.

Co-sponsors of this event were the IU School of Medicine Department of Public Health's MPH Program and Indiana Mid-America Public Health Training Center . IUPUI Human Resources Administration Work/Life program was a collaborative partner.

The Cooper Institute of Aerobics Research determined that 10,000 steps a day (approximately 5 miles) is the amount of physical activity needed to effectively lower body fat, improve blood pressure and increase aerobic fitness.

If you are interested in learning more about walking for better health, contact Maggie Stimming of HRA Work/Life at 274-5466 or mstimmin@iupui.edu for a copy of the "Stepping Up to Better Health" booklet. ###