National Family Health & Fitness Day USA is a holiday observed annually on the last Saturday in September. While there are plenty of fitness holidays on the calendar that a person could observe, this is one of the few that involves not only the individual but also their entire family.

It’s a day that gets the entire family involved in the practice of getting healthier. Studies have shown that when families work out together and think about their diet collectively, they have better chances of meeting their individual healthcare goals. When families exercise together, it’s not only a path toward better health, but it’s also a path toward family fun.

The History of National Family Health & Fitness Day USA

This holiday was first organized by the Health Information Resource Center. They founded the holiday in 1996 to encourage more families to work toward health—not as individuals but as a family unit.

Notable Health Facts People Should Know

Below are some of the most notable health facts that we came across while writing this holiday article. We think the following health facts will give everyone the information they need to kick off National Family Health & Fitness Day USA, so let’s get right to it.

• Laughing can increase blood flow by up to 20% and is good for the heart.
• Optimists tend to live longer than pessimists.
• Too much sleep can be bad for your health.

Observing National Family Health & Fitness Day USA

This is a holiday for the family to get together and work out their healthcare goals and how they want to achieve them. Perhaps they want to observe this day by beginning to take a daily walk together. Or maybe they are going to get their exercise by playing with the family dog.

We can’t tell people how to celebrate this holiday; all we can do is to get people started on how they might want to observe it themselves. While observing this holiday, people should be sure to use the hashtag #FamilyHealth&FitnessDay on social media to spread the word about this holiday.