At a park in Jackson, dozens of Mississippians are walking around a track alongside physicians.
The AARP of Mississippi is encouraging people of all ages to have an active lifestyle, and they are partnering with the international non-profit Walk With a Doc to help residents begin that journey. Executive Director Kimberly Campbell says this event gives residents a more hands-on approach to getting health advice from experts.
Campbell says “Many times if we’re trying to begin a fitness plan or trying to eat better we’re kind of lost. There’s a lot of stuff out there, but it can be very overwhelming and confusing. And I think having doctors on hand to really say ‘okay, this is how you can begin, this is what you can do. And begin today.’ I always say, you won’t get there if you never start.”
Among the doctors who attended the event is Dr. Justin Turner, the state’s recently appointed Chief Medical Officer. He says many of the people who turned out for the walk told him that being able to do this with a group was the motivation they needed.
Dr. Turner says “See a lot of people sometimes have trouble doing things alone, so having an event like this allows the connectedness and the human element to come back. We lost it with the pandemic. So being around other people, socializing, fellowship and exercising doesn’t just improve the physical health. It also improves the mental health.”
Dr. Turner says getting active and losing weight can help reduce the risk factors of the state’s most common illnesses, such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.
