Premier wellness brand VLCC organized a first-ever Cycle-o-thon in the city on Friday to promote active and healthy living, as part of its Anti-Obesity Drive initiative.
The Cycle-o-thon, which started at 10am from VLCC’s Slimming, Beauty and FitnessCenter at Dhanmondi and end at the company’s Center at Gulshan, flagged off by noted mountaineer Musa Ibrahim, the first Bangladeshi Mount Everest conquerer.
VLCC gifted T-shirts to the first 100 people who register for the Cycle-o-thon. Free VLCC service vouchers would be distributed to all participants, says a press release.
The Cycle-o-thon forms a part of VLCC’s largest anti-obesity initiative to date being observed simultaneously across 11 countries in Asia where VLCC has direct company-managed operations. As part of this campaign which commenced on November 14, VLCC is also urging people with weight and weight-related problems to take the ‘Orange Pledge’.
Last week, VandanaLuthra, Founder and Mentor, VLCC, unveiled the orange dot as a mnemonic for anti-obesity. The orange dot symbolizes vivacity and energy, a call for action to make people get out of their comfort zones and take responsibility for their health and well-being.
Signing up for the ‘Orange Pledge’ at any VLCC center or online on www.orangepledge.com will entitle all registered participants to benefit from complimentary health check-ups and consultations with VLCC’s health and nutrition experts .
VLCC initiated its global anti-obesity campaign 12 years back. In order to spread awareness on obesity and its ill-effects, VLCC has during this period been observing November 26 of every year as Anti-Obesity Day™ in all the countries where it has a presence.
VLCC’s awareness communication this year stems from alarming statistics that have emerged from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) March 2013 report1. The WHO study indicated that Obesity is the primary cause for 44 per cent cases of diabetes and 23 per cent cases of ischaemic heart disease. Besides, 7-41 per cent of certain cases of cancer are also attributable to Overweight and Obesity.
According to the WHO, Overweight and Obesity are on the rise in Bangladesh. The WHO states that 7.4 per cent of males and 7.8per cent of females are Overweight. As far as Obesity is concerned, the WHO points out that 0.9 per cent of males and 1.3per cent of females in Bangladesh are Obese2.
Mrs. VandanaLuthra, Founder and Mentor, VLCC, said: “Individuals can be responsible for their own well-being only when they have access to a healthy lifestyle. Our aim is to educate people about the importance of developing wholesome eating habits, implementing a suitable exercise regime, and adopting healthy lifestyle choices. The ‘Orange Pledge’ is all about leading people towards a better quality of life. At VLCC, the core of our business is to transform lives by making fitness, beauty and health accessible to all sections of society and this initiative brings us a step forward in achieving this vision.”
VLCC is inviting corporate groups, and food and retail outlets to join the ‘Orange Pledge’ initiative. Organizations supporting the ‘Orange Pledge’ can benefit from VLCC’s Corporate Wellness program, with employees gaining access to consultation sessions and a variety of fitness services at special prices.
