Kane County Health Department invites you to join new year health challenges

Make a healthy start for 2020! The Kane County Health Department recently announced two challenges designed to help residents become healthier in the new year.

Kane Health Counts created the "Billion Steps Challenge" to promote physical exercise and the "Fruit and Vegetable Challenge" to promote healthy eating.

"The Kane County Health Department's vision is to make Kane County residents the healthiest in Illinois by 2030," said Barbara Jeffers, executive director of the Kane County Health Department. "It is our commitment that the programs and services we provide are as responsive as possible to the needs of our community."

Surveys show that 28% of Kane County adults report "no leisure time physical activity" and only 24% are meeting physical activity guidelines.

The "Billion Steps Challenge" is an easy and fun way to promote good health and physical activity in the community by counting steps. Residents can participate even if they don't own a counting device.

The challenge, started by the American Public Health Association, begins Jan. 1 and runs through April 12, the last day of National Public Health Week.

The American Public Health Association partnered with Walker Tracker to give "Billion Steps Challenge" participants free access to their fitness-tracking platform. Last year's challenge reached nearly 2 billion steps nationwide.

To join the Kane County Challenge, go to www.nphw.org/get-involved/steps-challenge/get-started. Create an account, connect your device and complete your profile.

Join "Chronic Disease Action Team." Use the search bar to find the team. And remember to sync your device. Walker Tracker syncs with the Apple Health and Google Fit apps on smart phones and these wearable devices: Fitbit, Misfit, Withings, Garmin, Striiv and Apple Watch.

No device? No problem. Log your activity at www.nphw.org/get-involved/steps-challenge/log-your-activity.

The Kane County Fruit and Vegetable Challenge encourages residents to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables for 31 days and track their progress on the Kane County Health Department "Challenge" page. It's easy, healthy and delicious! The challenge begins Jan. 1 and runs through the month. To register, visit bit.ly/2ZjKeUS.

Residents can participate in either challenge, or both. Prizes will be awarded by the Kane County Chronic Disease Action Team.

The Kane County Health Department was formed in 1985 by resolution of the Kane County Board to promote, protect and advocate for health and wellness in the community. The main offices are in Aurora, Illinois, with a satellite office in Elgin, Illinois. The health department is organized into the Division of Health Promotion, the Division of Disease Prevention and the Division of Community Health Resources. Its vision is to make Kane County residents the healthiest in Illinois by 2030.

For more information, visit KaneHealth.com or call (630) 208-3801.