Making healthy living a walk in the park - AsiaOne.com

SINGAPORE – Just recently, I was with my family at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park for a weekend outing.

As we were walking, we noted how pleasing the park looked; the lush greenery blending well with the Kallang River. We felt energised after the walk.

The park is popular – we found ourselves in the company of other families, the young and the old.

Often, we think of living healthy lives as sweating it out at a members-only gym and paying to train under fitness instructors. This is not necessarily true.

There are easy and convenient ways to stay fit that are within the reach of everyone. A walk in the park is an example.

Being close to nature is good for one’s mental health. A brisk walk can be a calorie-burning workout, provided one does not “attack” tempting treats right after that.

Many parks are equipped with fitness corners, and their use is free. Keeping healthy could really be a walk in the park.

This is what the Healthy Living Master Plan (HLMP) is about. I first spoke about it at the Committee of Supply session last month. It is a road map aimed at keeping Singaporeans healthy and free of illness and disability for as long as possible. The vision of HLMP is to ensure that all Singaporeans have access to a healthy lifestyle, so that healthy living becomes natural and easy for all.

To achieve this, the HLMP Task Force that I chair will seek to achieve synergy in efforts to bring about healthy-living options, through connections across government agencies, across the community and between the community and the Government.

The strategies developed for healthy living will revolve around 3 Ps: Place (an accessible and conducive physical environment), People (a socially-inclusive community for everyone to be engaged and aware of healthy-living opportunities) and Price (to create affordable options so that healthy living is within reach).

The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) need not work in isolation in our quest for better health for all Singaporeans. For example, more park connectors have been built – more people can walk, enjoy nature and cycle to keep fit in a fun way.

In addition, the Singapore Sports Council provides exercise opportunities for the community, within the community. Classes are conducted at convenient locations for residents.

Last month, I also announced that HPB is working with the National Arts Council so that the skills and knowledge of artists can be tapped on to improve mental well-being through art therapy.

These are a few initiatives that are already in place to promote a healthy lifestyle. Soon, we will announce details of our HLMP public-consultation exercise where we welcome views and feedback on how we can promote and achieve healthy living for every Singaporean.

I look forward to hearing innovative ideas and suggestions on how to help fellow Singaporeans discover that healthy living can be simple and to make it their preferred choice.

Here’s to happy and healthy days ahead.

Get My Paper for more stories.

Making healthy living a walk in the park - AsiaOne.com