During Heart Month, Apple will offer an Activity Challenge on Apple Watch that starts today and heart health events in Apple Stores in San Francisco, Chicago and New York to educate consumers on their heart health and encourage them to get active and live a better day.
“Cardiovascular disease takes many forms and some are fully preventable through lifestyle changes like increased physical activity and better nutrition. It’s always great to see patients make those positive changes, especially with the help of Apple Watch,” said Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health, in a statement. “Other conditions are more challenging to pinpoint like Afib and this is where we hope to help people access and understand information about their heart health through our irregular rhythm notification and ECG app.”
This challenge takes ❤️! Close your Exercise Ring seven days in a row starting Feb. 8 to earn the Apple Watch #HeartMonth award! pic.twitter.com/yhp9tMxZS4
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 8, 2019
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common form of irregular heart rhythm and if left untreated can result in stroke. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates AFib can affect up to two percent of the younger population and nine percent of those 65 years and older in the US. The ECG app and irregular rhythm notification feature were introduced on Apple Watch last year, which help users identify signs of AFib. Apple continues to receive letters from customers who explain Apple Watch has helped them identify heart conditions, seek medical treatment, lose weight and get more active.
“Apple Watch users have told us since the beginning it has motivated them with everything from Activity Sharing to Challenges to all of the different workouts available all right from the wrist,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s senior director of fitness for health technologies, in a statement. “We hope this Activity Challenge and these conversations about heart health will motivate more customers to make regular physical activity a part of their lives.”
In recognition of Heart Month, Apple will host special Today at Apple sessions, “Heart Health with Apple,” in stores in New York, Chicago and San Francisco with celebrity fitness trainer Jeanette Jenkins, Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health, Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, Jay Blahnik, senior director of fitness for health technologies, and Julz Arney and Craig Bolton from the Apple Fitness Technologies team. Attendees will hear a discussion about heart health and participate in a new Health & Fitness Walk, which was co-created with Jeanette for participants to take a brisk walk with Apple Watch around their community.
• San Francisco: Apple Union Square, February 11, 2019, 6 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Jeanette Jenkins, Julz Arney
• New York: Apple Williamsburg, February 21, 2019, 4:30 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Jeanette Jenkins, Jay Blahnik
• Chicago: Apple Michigan Avenue, February 27, 2019, 6 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Nancy Brown, Jeanette Jenkins, Craig Bolton
Apple will offer a new Apple Watch Activity Challenge to promote heart health, where anyone who closes their Exercise Ring seven days in a row from February 8-14 will earn a special badge and stickers for Messages on Valentine’s Day.
To register for a Heart Health with Apple session, visit apple.com/today or visit the Sessions tab in the Apple Store App.
Source: Apple Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Close those rings!
Almost completed a whole year’s worth of Move/Stand/Exercise rings closed.
The exercise ring sucks. It’s so iffy. I’m on my feet all day at work moving around and I can triple my move ring while only getting credited 7 minutes of exercise. It’s ridiculous.
I have no problem having the move and exercise rings closed by 7am every day. It is the Stand ring that is the problem. Apparently it is triggered only by the orientation of the watch (knob down if left hand). I often hold things while standing so my arm isn’t dangling. Since learning this, I sometimes sit with my arm down to get stand credit.
Well I in turn have no problem with the stand ring. I hit my goal everyday. Same with move.
I do not yet have an Apple Watch, although I would like one. But I am quite certain that I would close the “Sit” ring every work day!
Excercise minutes only count if your heart rate is over 120 bpm, or in a workout mode. Just standing up and moving around doesn’t count as excercise, although as you mention it does count towards move.
Always feel a bit let down when I see these. I understand it costs Apple a lot of money to send these challenges also to non-US Apple Watch owners, so they cant afford it. Congrats to all privileged ones, you earned this.
My badge disappeared without awarding it to me. I definite closed my ring every day so far this month.