Walk Like a

Weekly walks pay big dividends to physical health

In 2005, a Westerville cardiologist decided to take 30 minutes of each week to lead a free, voluntary, 30-minute walk, accompanied by some doctorly advice.

Six years later, Dr. David Sabgir’s program has taken on a life of its own.

It was, as they say, “just what the doctor ordered” for Westerville financial adviser Jon Volpi. For two years, he has been among the throngs who “Walk with a Doc,” a program that’s underway now in 45 communities nationwide and which will be available in at least 73 next year.

Sabgir was discouraged by the frequency with which his patients would listen to him advocate for the health benefits of walking and active living, promise to follow his advice on the way out of his office, then never follow through.

So he posted a simple sign in his office: “Let’s walk.”

As word spread to potential participants, Sabgir was hoping for an attendance level of 30 to 35 people at Sharon Woods Metro Park. His plan: a quick meet-and-greet, a brief talk – “I can tell when people are getting ants in their pants and it’s time for me to shut up,” he says – and a subsequent halfhour, at-your-own-pace walk. Sabgir hoped the 30 minutes would help attendees reach a goal of 150 minutes of walking per week.

He was nearly overwhelmed when 101 people showed up on that early spring day in April. The unexpected turnout quickly sent Sabgir a message about the importance of what he was offering.

It was as clear as day, he says: “You know what you have. You have to keep it up.”

So for that year, he spent each week meeting a varying number of people for a walk-and-talk, all organized and financed by Sabgir. The cost included healthy snacks, such as fruit and granola bars, and pedometers.

Sabgir considered joining forces with a potential food sponsor, but opted not to and dropped the walks in 2006. The upshot was that “We lost the trust of some people who felt ‘You abandoned me,’ ” he says. So he started it back up in 2007 with some financial support from pharmaceutical companies.

In the meantime, word spread about the acceptance among participants who were thrilled with the free medical discussions –not to mention the camaraderie that abounds on the walks – and other doctors and physical fitness organizations, among others, sought information about the walks.

Word reached the Cleveland Clinic, and a staff director there organized a walk, which led to others in that area. The repu-