The recent focus on the American health care system brought to light the fact that an extraordinary amount of time, money and precious resources are spent on reactive treatment - drugs and surgery to counteract what are often lifestyle-related ailments.

Medical professionals now understand that proactive health care is often the most efficient, effective and long-lasting - by living healthier day-to-day lives we immunize ourselves from the chronic illnesses that stem from obesity, lack of exercise, and poor diet.

Kaiser Permanente, a medical insurance company, has put a big focus on healthier lifestyles as pre-emptive health care. This week they launched the first "Every Body Walk" campaign to encourage more Americans to include a regular stroll into their daily routines.

Almost half of all urban trips in the United States are less than two miles, but almost all of these are taken by car. By choosing to walk rather than drive just a few times a week, we can all make a big difference to our personal health. Many doctors now believe that walking just 150 minutes a week can have marked impact on treating a range of problems, from depression to high blood pressure.

Encouraging walking is a big part of RTC's work, too (along with biking, riding, skiing - and anything else that involves a trail), which is why we are partnering with Kaiser Permanente on Every Body Walk!

RTC President Keith Laughlin said a few words to kick off proceedings at the campaign launch celebration in Washington, D.C. last night. Talking about how the built environment can either be an impediment to, or a promoter of, healthy living, Keith said that D.C. residents were fortunate to live in a relatively walk-friendly city.

"We have that option. But that's not a given for many Americans," he said. "Over the past 50 years we have built landscapes that work for cars but not always for people. In many communities it is inconvenient, or even dangerous, to go for a walk, to try and live an active lifestyle."

Speaking just days after RTC's advocacy efforts helped ward off threats to federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects, Keith said there was a massive disconnect between what residents and local businesses wanted to see in their communities, and what many federal politicians understood.

"At the local level, people are yearning for investments in their cities and towns that make them more livable and walkable," he said. "But on capitol hill, there is often the feeling that things like bike paths and sidewalks are 'nice to have, but not essential.' We have a real challenge to convince them otherwise."

The testimony of medical professionals is now adding to the growing weight of evidence that investing in biking and walking infrastructure will not only save the nation billions in reduced oil consumption and environmental mitigation, but also slash wasteful health care expenditure.

Dr. Bob Sallis is one of the many medical professionals who regularly prescribes walking to his patients. He says that instead of focusing on the numbers of a bathroom scale, people worried about their weight should be focusing on a different set of numbers - how many minutes a week they walk.

"Walking really is the cornerstone of combating non-communicable diseases," he said. "This is the beginning of a crucial health message. As a public health community, this is like where we were with smoking, 20 years ago."

Dr. Sallis says he consistently sees improvement in patients from increasing the number of minutes they walk each week - and that for maladies such as depression, walking has a myriad of positive side effects that psychotherapy and medication do not.

Today, Kaiser Permanente's impressive new facility next to Union Station will host a Walking Summit featuring noted experts in public health, research and walkable communities. The Summit will explain to policymakers why creating a walking agenda would prevent and mitigating chronic conditions in America.

The Iverson Mall walkers will also host a morning walk on Wednesday from 7:30 to 11 a.m. at the Iverson Mall in Hillcrest Heights, Md.

On Friday - there's something awesome for the kids, parents and teachers. The Forum on Walking and Kids will address the economic, environmental, transit and safety aspects of creating a culture of walking. The Forum will be followed by a noontime walking school bus with D.C.-area school children, led by the Samurai Power Rangers, stars of the #1 kids action series! The Power Rangers are teaching kids and families how to put the Power Rangers values of teamwork, confidence, health and physical activity into action.

To register for Wednesday's walk on the Met Branch Trail, or any of the Every Body Walk events this week, follow this link.

For more information, visit www.everybodywalk.org

Photos by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - RTC President Keith Laughlin and Dr Bob Sallis discuss the nexus of trails infrastructure and public health at the new Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health in Washington D.C.