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SINGAPORE \u2013 Singaporeans living in the north exercise less than the rest of the island and are generally less healthy, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung as he launched a new brisk walking movement in Sembawang Central aimed at improving health in the region. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the north, the health situation is not as ideal. Our hypertension prevalence is higher, our diabetes prevalence is also higher,\u201d Mr Ong said on April 12.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich is why we are implementing quite a few (health) programmes in the north first, given this situation. With the view that once it\u2019s successful, we want to extend them to the rest of Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brisk walking is the simplest and lowest-entry exercise for most people, said Mr Ong, who is also MP for Sembawang GRC.<\/p>\n
Based on data collected by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), the median time spent on physical activity per week for residents in the north was only 100 minutes, compared to the national median of 120 minutes, he noted.<\/p>\n
Adults are recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, including brisk walking, per week.<\/p>\n
On April 12, Mr Ong led a mass brisk walk activity at Bukit Canberra involving 500 residents to kick off the \u201cLet\u2019s Jalan\u201d brisk walking movement in Sembawang Central. <\/p>\n
It is a joint effort with SportSG and active ageing centres to encourage residents to set up brisk walking clubs and help residents, particularly those who are inactive, to do regular physical activity.<\/p>\n
There are now seven brisk walking clubs \u2013 two newly formed \u2013 with more than 280 members in Sembawang Central.<\/p>\n