'Protect Heart Health by Walking'... Cardiology Society Hosts 'Heart Day Walking Event'

September 29 World Heart Day
Held on the 9th at Seoul Ttukseom Hangang Park

The Korean Society of Cardiology announced on the 1st that it will hold the ‘Heart Day Walking Event’ on the morning of the 9th at the Han River Ttukseom Waterfront Stage in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

[Photo by Korean Society of Cardiology]

Hosted and organized by the Korean Society of Cardiology, the Heart Day Walking Event is held to commemorate the ‘2023 Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention and Management Week (September 1?7)’ and ‘World Heart Day (September 29).’ The event aims to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, the second leading cause of death in Korea, and to highlight the importance of walking, one of the most effective methods to prevent cardiovascular disease.

This walking event will begin with warm-up exercises led by fitness experts, followed by a 3 km round-trip course starting at the waterfront stage at 11 a.m., turning back at Nakcheonjeong Entrance. During the walk, a stamp challenge will be held, and participants who complete the course and collect all event stamps will receive a commemorative gift. Anyone can participate free of charge by registering on-site on the day of the event without prior registration.

Various experience booths will also be operated during the event, with participation from the Seoul Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention and Management Project Support Group, the Metabolic Syndrome Management Project Support Group, and health centers from 25 districts of Seoul. Seoul City will open a ‘Red Circle’ promotional booth symbolizing healthy blood vessels, offering free blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol tests. The health center booths will provide InBody body composition analysis and abdominal obesity measurement tests. Additionally, diverse activities such as proper exercise education for cardiovascular disease prevention and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training booths for emergency response will be available.

Seungwoo Park, Director of the Korean Society of Cardiology, emphasized, “Adults in Korea spend an average of about nine hours sitting daily, and prolonged sedentary behavior increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea after cancer, and if left untreated, it can lead to severe acute conditions.” He added, “Fortunately, walking for just 30 minutes two to three times a week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. We hope this walking event will be a great opportunity for people to directly experience the easy and effective benefits of walking in daily life and to once again recognize the importance of heart health.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.