DMC RiverWalkers summer program kicks off

DETROIT (WJBK) - Walking is good for the heart, your muscles and mind, but if you ask the seniors out here for the DMC RiverWalker's Celebration it's as much about fun and community. The pre party before the walk had them moving before the event even started.

The Detroit Medical Center kicked off its annual event Tuesday morning. The RiverWalkers program is aimed at encouraging area serniors to get up and move. It takes place every Tuesday and Thursday. It is a free walking program for seniors (55+) June-August. There are also group fitness classes, hands-on CPR training, blood pressure screenings and one-on-one sessions with DMC physicians. 

Although Detroit is often on the bottom of the list when it comes to health issues like obesity and diabetes, there is one list in which Detroit is stepping on its competition.

A study of FitBit  users found the city to be number 21 out of 100 cities polled on the number of steps taken in 2015. Detroiters, on average, put their best foot forward to squash 80 other cities with 7,693 daily steps.

It's good for the heart and the mind.

"The big thing is community. So at the DMC, we want to make sure we come outside of our doors. It's our obligation to make sure we're out in the community, and why not do it with 1,000 seniors?" says DMC Dr. Monique Butler.

The improvements on the Riverfront play a role in the growing success of the program. The program started with just a couple hundred participants, but now more than 1,000 people gather every year.