The Department of Health announced today that it will organise a walking challenge under the “10,000 Steps a Day” Campaign in November to encourage people to increase their physical activities. The enrolment will start on October 1. 

As this year's event coincides with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Health Bureau and the department will, for the first time, partner with the Greater Bay Area Mainland cities to organise walking activities during the same period.

Target participants of the event in Hong Kong are adults aged 18 or above.

With the slogan "Shall We Walk & Talk", the walking challenge aims to raise public awareness of the physical and mental health benefits of walking, encourage friends and colleagues to support each other and walk 10,000 steps daily, the department explained.

Participants are required to enrol in the event and record their step count during the challenge period through "e+Life", the recently launched health challenge platform under the eHealth app.

Participants reaching a daily average of 10,000 steps during the challenge period will be awarded an electronic certificate of achievement.

Interested individuals can enrol through "e+Life" by logging into the eHealth app from October 1 to 31, while interested workplace organisations can register with the department on or before October 15.

After successful enrolment of the workplace organisation, their staff will be able to select their respective organisations when enrolling through "e+Life", and the step counts of participating staff will be attributed to the organisation they choose. 

According to the Population Health Survey 2020-22, nearly a quarter of persons aged 18 or above performed an insufficient level of physical activities, and about one in seven persons aged 15 or above reported spending 10 hours or longer sitting or reclining each day, the department noted.

It added that walking brings us plenty of health benefits including improving cardiopulmonary function, strengthening muscles and bones, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes, as well as relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression.