The day-long event was highlighted by the “Ten Thousand Step Challenge” in which some one hundred families power walked ten thousand steps from the park.

Power walking is a form of walking that exaggerates the arm swing and is believed by health experts to be an appropriate exercise regiment alternative to running or jogging. Close to a hundred booths were set up at Da-an Forest Park yesterday providing free beverages, health foods, and other miscellaneous products provided by Nestle Taiwan, as well as health check-ups for festival attendees.

Taipei City councilor Ou-Yan Long and his family and Nestle Taiwan General Manager Alois Hofbauer led the group of power walkers at Da-an Forest Park.

Taipei City Department of Health commissioner Chiu Wen-hsiang also attended the event, which is the second time that the Taipei City Government has teamed up with Nestle Taiwan in organizing the Taipei Energetic Family Festival since 2006.

“The Department of Health has been promoting the concept of the healthy city to improve the health of Taipei citizens,” said Chiu.

Chiu said that Taipei citizens should develop the habits of exercise and controlling their diet in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“In lieu of the fact that there are not a lot of places in Taipei for jogging, the Taipei City Department of Health has been promoting power walking as a form of exercise for Taipei residents,” said Chiu.

“Nestle Taiwan has had a good reputation in supporting causes of public benefit and we thought that it would be a good to cooperate with them,” said Chiu.

Taipei City Government chose Da-an Forest Park of the city’s Da-an district as the site of the festival after the district was elected to the World Health Organization’s Healthy City Alliance last year.

Hofbauer said that Nestle Taiwan has been working with the Taipei City Government over the past year in sponsoring events to promote public health, including a Superkids program targeting the diets of school children.

“Many Taipei kids today don’t eat a healthy breakfast; they basically eat breakfast outside the convenience store,” said Hofbauer. “Therefore we have been promoting the healthy breakfast in the morning, which is very important.”

To promote walking as an exercise for Taipei residents, the Taipei City Government has published a walking guide “Energetic Walking Map of Taipei City 12 Districts” which offers residents the best walking routes in Taipei’s twelve districts.

Chiu said that the routes will take walkers along nature and scenic areas, historical landmarks, and shopping areas throughout Taipei’s neighborhoods.

Chiu urged Taipei residents to walk ten thousand steps a day which statistics show will shed enough calories off one’s body to keep the average adult fit.

Walking 13,000 to 15,000 steps a day will improve cardiovascular function, reduce the risk of heart disease, and lose weight, said Chiu.

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