Get active and win a prize with innovative Utah rewards program

Regular physical activity provides more energy, stronger muscles, less stress, and burns calories. And now there are more reasons to become physically active — you might win prizes.

More than 23 percent of adults and children in Utah are overweight or obese, contributing to poor health and decreased quality of life. To help address this crisis, Intermountain Healthcare has partnered with Utah businesses for a statewide program, which is part of the ongoing LiVe public service campaign.

The innovative and fun program called "Park Farther" encourages people to take a few more steps and provides rewards for being more active. Select stalls in about 35 large parking lots of businesses and government agencies have been painted for the program. The remote spaces have been painted with the message, "Park here to walk farther and be healthier," which is underscored by a large red LiVe logo.

Participants who choose to "Park Farther" can win iPods, iTune gift cards, Amazon.com gift cards, grocery store gift certificates for fruits and vegetables, and other interesting prizes. Winners are selected by prize patrols that randomly stake-out "Park Farther" locations. To increase your chances of being a winner, simply make it a habit to "Park Farther" in designated parking stalls and see the benefits of increased physical activity. A complete list of locations for the LiVe parking stalls can be found at intermountainlive.org.

Some organizations involved in the program include: Salt Lake County, West Valley City, Clearfield City, Autoliv, certain Smith's Food and Drug stores, SelectHealth, and Intermountain hospitals and certain clinics.

The "Park Farther" project is part of Intermountain's ongoing LiVe public service campaign that encourages healthy eating and an active lifestyle.