Apple celebrates Heart Month with new Apple Watch Activity Challenge

During Heart Month, Apple will offer an Activity Challenge on Apple Watch and heart health events in Apple Stores in San Francisco, Chicago and New York to educate consumers on their heart health and encourage them to get active and live a better day.

“Cardiovascular disease takes many forms and some are fully preventable through lifestyle changes like increased physical activity and better nutrition. It’s always great to see patients make those positive changes, especially with the help of Apple Watch,” said Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health, in a press release. “Other conditions are more challenging to pinpoint like Afib and this is where we hope to help people access and understand information about their heart health through our irregular rhythm notification and ECG app.”

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common form of irregular heart rhythm and if left untreated can result in stroke. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates AFib can affect up to two percent of the younger population and nine percent of those 65 years and older in the US. The ECG app and irregular rhythm notification feature were introduced on Apple Watch last year, which help users identify signs of AFib. Apple continues to receive letters from customers who explain Apple Watch has helped them identify heart conditions, seek medical treatment, lose weight and get more active.

“Apple Watch users have told us since the beginning it has motivated them with everything from Activity Sharing to Challenges to all of the different workouts available all right from the wrist,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s senior director of fitness for health technologies. “We hope this Activity Challenge and these conversations about heart health will motivate more customers to make regular physical activity a part of their lives.”

In recognition of Heart Month, Apple will host special Today at Apple sessions, “Heart Health with Apple,” in stores in New York, Chicago and San Francisco with celebrity fitness trainer Jeanette Jenkins, Sumbul Desai, MD, Apple’s vice president of Health, Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, Jay Blahnik, senior director of fitness for health technologies, and Julz Arney and Craig Bolton from the Apple Fitness Technologies team. Attendees will hear a discussion about heart health and participate in a new Health & Fitness Walk, which was co-created with Jeanette for participants to take a brisk walk with Apple Watch around their community.

• San Francisco: Apple Union Square, February 11, 2019, 6 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Jeanette Jenkins, Julz Arney

• New York: Apple Williamsburg, February 21, 2019, 4:30 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Jeanette Jenkins, Jay Blahnik

• Chicago: Apple Michigan Avenue, February 27, 2019, 6 p.m.: Dr. Sumbul Desai, Nancy Brown, Jeanette Jenkins, Craig Bolton

Apple will offer a new Apple Watch Activity Challenge to promote heart health, where anyone who closes their Exercise Ring seven days in a row from February 8-14 will earn a special badge and stickers for Messages on Valentine’s Day.1

To register for a Heart Health with Apple session, visit apple.com/today or visit the Sessions tab in the Apple Store App.