Argus held its annual Health Fair yesterday with more than 40 booths, giveaways and health professionals on hand to give information.

The fair was held at Argus' new building on Wesley Street and took place on World Health Day during Bermuda's Public Health Week.

This year's theme was "Get up, Get Moving and Walk the Walk with Argus", which aimed to raise awareness of how exercise can be used to prevent and manage disease.

A statement said: "The additional benefits of exercise include weight management, increased flexibility, boosting energy and improved quality of life. Visitors to the booth received information about two, three and four mile walking routes within the City of Hamilton, which have been designed by Argus to encourage and support members of the public, who are not currently physically active, to start exercising."

Argus CEO Gerald Simons said: "At Argus, we have seen health insurance claims continue to rise year over year and we want to promote exercise to counteract this trend. We are using this year's health fair to encourage people who don't currently exercise to get up, get moving and walk the walk with Argus.

"Walking is one accessible option for keeping fit, but of course, any other type of exercise is beneficial. Whether you like to cycle, run, swim, do yoga or play team sports, it's important to simply start moving. It is easier to make exercise part of your routine if you do something you enjoy.

"This year there is also information about how parents can make exercise fun for their children with the aim of helping them to develop the habit from an early age."

Judy Richardson, Chief of Nursing at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital said: "Our message is simple— it doesn't take a lot to improve your mental and physical health. I hope visitors are inspired to improve their own health and those of their loved ones. It is better for individuals, for families and in the long run for our community."

Argus booth visitors were also able to play Nintendo Wii Fit. Those who played the game were entered into a prize draw to win one of two Nintendo Wii game consoles and the Wii Fit software package.