Brisk walking movement launched in the north; new Healthy 365 features to be piloted from June

SINGAPORE – Singaporeans living in the north exercise less than the rest of the island and are generally less healthy, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung as he launched a new brisk walking movement in Sembawang Central aimed at improving health in the region.

“In the north, the health situation is not as ideal. Our hypertension prevalence is higher; our diabetes prevalence is also higher,” Mr Ong said on April 12.

“Which is why we are implementing quite a few (health) programmes in the north first, given this situation. With the view that once it’s successful, we want to extend them to the rest of Singapore.”

Brisk walking is the simplest and lowest-entry exercise for most people, said Mr Ong, who is also an MP for Sembawang GRC.

Based on data collected by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), the median time spent on physical activity per week for residents in the north was only 100 minutes, compared to the national median of 120 minutes, he noted.

Adults are recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, including brisk walking, per week.

On April 12, Mr Ong led a mass brisk walk activity at Bukit Canberra involving 500 residents to kick off the “Let’s Jalan” brisk walking movement in Sembawang Central.

The initiative by HPB and the People’s Association aims to encourage residents to set up brisk walking clubs and help residents, particularly those who are inactive, to engage in regular physical activity.

There are now seven brisk walking clubs – two newly formed – with more than 280 members in Sembawang Central.

In line with this new movement, HPB will also pilot new features for its Healthy 365 app in the area.

The Health Ministry had announced new gamification features during the parliamentary debate on its budget in March and said they would be rolled out from June 2026.

HPB said in a joint statement with the People’s Association on April 12 that the new features – which will use gamification to incentivise exercise – include location maps of fitness corners, parks and walking routes such as park connectors and heritage trails.

This wayfinding feature can also be used to plan walking routes and will also offer suggestions for exercises at each fitness corner.

Users will be able to earn 20 Healthpoints when they check-in at designated locations. There will be a bonus of 300 Healthpoints for residents who have been inactive or are new to physical activity, as an encouragement for them to embark on an active lifestyle.

The points can be used to redeem rewards, including supermarket and transport vouchers.

These mechanics will be piloted in Woodlands and Sembawang Central, with more details to come in June.

Asked why northerners seem to be less healthy than the rest of Singapore, Mr Ong said it could be a case of those who are more active in the north not using the Healthy 365 app, which is among HPB’s data sources.

“I really don’t know. You know, it’s not as if we have more MRT stations than others or more bus stops than other divisions, but this is what the Healthy 365 data shows us,” he added.

Canberra resident Yeo Boon Kiat, 70, was one of the seniors who took part in the mass brisk walk.

He said he started brisk walking after joining a club about a month ago. He used to lead a more sedentary lifestyle where he spent most of his time in front of a screen.

These days, he walks up to 5km two times a week.

“Brisk walking helps me through the day, so I don’t sit around so much,” he said.

“The Healthy 365 app is also very good, as it encourages those like me to be more active, giving us incentives that can be used for things like transport.”

Mr Ong said he hopes the movement is a success “so that walking becomes a part of life for all Singaporeans”.