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14 Jun, 2016

Humana Works to Break Americans’ Habit of Spending 93% of Life Indoors

CHICAGO, 9 June 2016, (BUSINESS WIRE)–As a proud partner of the National Park Service Centennial, Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is encouraging Americans to get out and enjoy nature this summer.

Humana’s increased emphasis on embracing the health benefits of the outdoors is supported by a recent Harris Poll survey commissioned by the company, which revealed that Americans agree, spending time outdoors can reduce stress levels (75 percent), benefit mental well-being (74 percent) and can help people live a longer, healthier life (63 percent).

However, many aren’t taking action, with Environmental Protection Agency data showing the average American will spend nearly 93 percent of their life indoors1.

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Humana is encouraging people to discover their Nature Engagement Levels (N.E.L.s), a way to test if they are getting enough lakes, trees and sunshine in their lives to stay in peak health. Starting June 9th, people can find out if they’re overflowing with flowing streams or running low on lowlands by taking the new National Geographic Quiz, sponsored by Humana.

Humana’s broad effort to get people outdoors is supported by the N.E.L.s quiz, a national outdoor-inspired tour and 360-video of two popular national parks.

“Today’s world makes it hard to disconnect and relax in a green space, but finding as little as 30 minutes each day to get outdoors in a natural setting can do so much for your overall health,” said Mark Steffen, MD, MPH, Humana Medical Director. “Something as simple as visiting a park can be the first step to putting your health first. When you do, great things will be ahead of you.”

To help raise N.E.L.s on a local level, Humana is kicking off the summer with a three-month tour called Bring the Parks to You. The tour, which launches in Chicago, is open to the public and features a pop-up log cabin with the sounds and sights of nature, all designed to inspire people to get out of their air conditioning and into the fresh air of a nearby park. The cabin experience includes Oculus technology that will let participants escape into a 360-degree virtual reality world and gaze up at the giant sequoias of Yosemite National Park or peer out over the mystifying rocks of Joshua Tree National Park. After experiencing the technology, participants can take the N.E.L.s quiz and ultimately find a park near them best suited for their needs. The tour will travel to 20 cities through August.

“You may think spending time in nature is difficult when you live in a city like Chicago because we’re so far from the big national parks, but we have some amazingly beautiful green spaces at every turn,” said Juanita Irizarry, Executive Director of Chicago’s Friends of the Parks. “You can enjoy the refreshing mist of Lake Michigan along the lakeshore path, spy some deer at the North Park Village Nature Center, or get lost in the flowers of the Garfield Park Conservatory.”

Humana’s partnership with the National Park Foundation Centennial celebration, as well as its commitment to inspire more involvement with nature among the communities it serves, closely aligns with the brand’s Start With Healthy campaign. Those who wish to view Humana’s 360-degree videos may visit Humana’s Facebook or YouTube pages: Joshua Tree National Park Active 360° Video, Yosemite National Park Active 360° Video, Joshua Tree National Park Scenic 360° Video, Yosemite National Park Scenic 360° Video .

To watch 360-degree video, you need the latest version of Chrome, Opera, Firefox, or Internet Explorer on your computer. On mobile devices, use the latest version of the YouTube app for Android or iOS.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com.

1 Klepeis, Neil E., William C. Nelson, Wayne R. Ott, John P. Robinson, Andy M. Tsang, Paul Switzer, Joseph V. Behar, Stephen C. Hern, and William H. Engelmann. “The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS): A Resource for Assessing Exposure to Environmental Pollutants.”Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, 6 Feb. 2001. Web. 27 May 2016. <http://www.nature.com/jes/journal/v11/n3/full/7500165a.html>.