Families turned up in force when the Town Hall asked the public to do the ‘Mile End Walk.’
They were invited to test a new mile-long walk laid out appropriately at Mile End Park in London’s East End where the local authority has been concerned about public fitness.
Tower Hamlets has one of Britain’s highest rates of obesity, especially among children—partly due to lack of exercise.
So the council has launched a mile-long free fitness ‘assault’ course where they promise walking is as effective as jogging to help stay healthy.
“A brisk, one-mile walk burns just as many calories as running over the same distance,” a council official promised, handing out electronic ‘swipe’ cards to prove it. “It’s gentle enough for all ages and it’s up to you how hard you want to push yourself.”
The families took him up on the offer and trotted off along the path with their swipe cards as the walk got off the ground.
They kept track of how far they walked and calculated their fitness by using the swipe cards at points along the route to check the time it was taking and to work out the calories they were burning off—they calculated it later online.
Youngsters ended with a smile when fun activities were laid on at the end of the mile—at Mile End Ecology pavilion.
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