National Women’s Health & Fitness Day Date in the current year: September 25, 2024

Although healthy living is important for everyone regardless of their age and gender, it would be wrong not to acknowledge that different genders may have different health needs and that women’s health differs from men’s health in many ways. It should be noted that health of women is affected both by their biology and by a number of social factors.

There is a common misconception that women’s health is synonymous with reproductive health. Although the concept of women’s health does include the reproductive and sexual health of women, it is so much more than that. For example, a number of conditions that affect both men and women manifest in women differently than in men, which makes them harder to diagnose.

In addition, gender-biased diagnosing still persists in healthcare even in developed countries. According to statistics, women’s symptoms are less likely to be taken seriously than that of men. Another impediment to advancing women’s health is that women are underrepresented in research studies and clinical trials; for centuries, most of medical studies have been done on men, which has resulted in issues related to women’s health being overlooked.

That is why it is so important to have an awareness day that focuses on women’s health and the challenges that women face when it comes to getting access to healthcare services. National Women’s Health & Fitness Day was observed for the first time in 2002 and has been held annually ever since.

The main goal of National Women’s Health & Fitness Day is to promote health awareness among women of all ages, highlight the importance of regular physical activity, and encourage women to take control of their health using the resources that are available to them.

Every year, hundreds of health and fitness events are held by local organizations across the country on the last Wednesday of September. The organization responsible for coordinating them is the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC), a national clearinghouse for professionals working in consumer health fields.

Tens of thousands of women participate in National Women’s Health & Fitness Day events held at park and recreation departments, health departments, health clubs, schools and colleges, hospitals, senior centers, retirement communities, places of worship, and other community locations. Most events combine educational elements with some sort of non-competitive physical activity. They include workshops, health fairs, exercise demonstrations, fitness walks, etc.

While participating in one of the official events is the best way to celebrate National Women’s Health & Fitness Day, there are other ways to observe it. You can schedule a routine medical checkup, sign up for the gym, make a resolution to eat healthier, get your annual flu shot, go on a hike, or find another way to take care of your health.